Staff photo by Fritz Busch Sertoma members from left, LaNaye Kral, Shannon Hillescheim, Wayne Plagge and Pat Herzog organize the 2024 Santa’s Closet at the New Ulm Armory Friday.

NEW ULM — The Sertoma Club of New Ulm and the New Ulm Cathedral Junior Class spent Friday morning at the New Ulm Armory, setting up donated toys for the Santa’s Closet project.

“We had all 25 members of the Cathedral Junior Class helping us. We couldn’t have done it without them,” said Sertoma member LaNaye Kral.

Sertoma has organized the Christmas toy donation for more than 30 years. Throughout the year, Sertoma collects money, toys, books, hats and mittens for the event. Toys are given by Brown County individuals and organizations. Funds raised are used to buy new toys.

The Santa in the Summer event at the Brown County Fairgrounds is the biggest Santa’s Closet fundraiser.

The Santa’s Closet project was founded in 1975 by Brown County Family Services. Sertoma took it over in 1985.

Brown County Human Services provides Sertoma with a list of children in need in Brown County. This year, 480 children are eligible for toys. Parents are able to pick out items for children from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the armory.

An international civic organization, the Sertomans have a single purpose — serving communities and improving the lives of those in need.

The Sertoma Club is also involved with contributing to equipment and technology costs to serve the hearing impaired, providing financial support to camps for children with hearing impairments and other disabilities.

For more information, visit the Sertoma Club on Facebook and www.sertoma.org.