Courtesy Photo Toys, bikes, and more are seen at The Wagon Wheel Bar and Grill in Ossineke. Owners Terry Ravitz and Lisa Phipps have been working toward raising funds and collecting toys throughout the year to help families in need at Christmastime.

OSSINEKE — The Wagon Wheel Bar and Grill in Ossineke is once again spreading joy and happiness during this holiday season.

For the fifth year in a row with owners Terry Ravitz and Lisa Phipps at the helm of the sleigh, a group of employees and patrons of the Wagon Wheel Bar and Grill are making sure needy families in the area celebrate a Merry Christmas.

Throughout the year donations are made to the Children’s Christmas Toy Fund in preparation for toy purchases and distribution by the Wagon Wheel.

At the annual customer appreciation picnic, the bar and grill provide the food, and attendees who desire to donate are encouraged to support the Children’s Toy Fund.

Also in early fall, numerous local musicians entertain the Wagon Wheel patrons all afternoon and into the evening hours, donating their time, talent, and proceeds to this worthy cause.

Ravitz and Phipps have continued involvement in reaching their donation goals. Two dollars from every pizza purchased throughout the year is donated to the Children’s Toy Fund, ensuring a successful and happy holiday for so many families in need.

Many toys are also donated by local citizens and the rest is purchased with the Children’s Toy Fund. Ravitz and Phipps spend days shopping for toys and gifts for the children.

The Wagon Wheel’s entertainment stage is overflowing with stuffed animals, dolls, games, toys, warm hats and gloves, and even bicycles. It looks more like a toy store than a bar and grill.

The process of locating families that would like help is a community-wide effort.

“We find families with help through the school, the outreach from the community, and we have postal workers that you’d be surprised what they see and know about the area,” Ravitz said.

As the lists of names and telephone numbers are submitted, parents are contacted and asked if help is needed, if so, parents are invited to the Wagon Wheel on Dec. 23 to choose toys for their family based on age and gender.

If transportation is not available for the parents, Ravitz and Phipps schedule home deliveries of toys and gifts, and volunteers make sure everyone in need receives their share of Christmas joy.

“Some people we just know need help and we just deliver them to the door and say this is from secret Santa,” Ravitz said. “When we ask them if they need toys, we also ask how are you set for a meal.”

Wagon Wheel Bar and Grill also expects to provide over 200 meals along with the toy distributions.

Santa’s favorite cook, Christina Ravitz, prepares an entire Christmas dinner feast of ham or turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, pumpkin pie, and a salad for each person in need.

When asked how this outpouring of community kindness began, Ravitz replied, “Five years ago when we opened, we made a commitment to give back to the community, to make the community proud of the Wagon Wheel. And so this was one of the ways we could do it. We knew there was a need for it.”