Our Story
In 2003, Natalie Woolsey, crowned as the Festival of Lights Pageant Queen, inspired her community to start a toy drive. Tragically, her life was cut short in a car accident in 2004, just a day before pageant rehearsals. At the time of her passing, her car was filled with toys, igniting a wave of inspiration among Texan communities to organize toy drives in her memory. The Festival of Lights pageant contestants continued to place donation boxes around town, collecting toys in honor of Natalie until the pageant concluded in 2011.
In 2011, a group of Natalie's close friends banded together to carry on her legacy, orchestrating a fundraiser that began with a successful bake sale generating $20,000. Since then, the Natalie Woolsey Toy Drive has garnered immense support from volunteers and the community, amassing over $1 million in funds. It has evolved beyond being solely a toy drive, expanding its reach to encompass more meaningful endeavors.