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SALT LAKE CITY -- Let's assume that Santa's workshop at the North Pole is busy six weeks before Christmas. KSL can, however, confirm that there's a toy shop in South Jordan that is working overtime.
It's a warehouse filled with Santa's helpers, all hoping to make a difference in the lives of children everywhere.
The smiles are everywhere. From a young boy in Afghanistan to a girl in Iraq and children in Africa. These smiles are created thanks to a simple toy — a little wooden car.
"It happens every time they feel the car, they spin the wheels, they put their finger through the window, hug the car, and I get a smile," said Alton Thacker.
Which is why Thacker and his wife Cheryl created Tiny Tim's Foundation for Kids.
For the past nine years, numerous volunteers have come to this shop in South Jordan with one goal in mind: making children happy.
"Well, I think it makes a difference knowing they're going to children who may have never had any toys in their life," said Wade Bender, who helps sand the toys.
At Tiny Tim's, more than 36,000 cars are made every year. Every month, 2,000 cars are donated to the LDS Humanitarian Center and 1,000 go to Operation Give, a military group that hands out the toys to orphanages in war-torn countries. Both Primary Children's Medical Center and Shriners Hospital receive them as well.
"I've had encephalitis, a stroke, open-heart surgery…not the best of health. But I can come here and leave feeling good," said volunteer Mark Frodsham.
Tuesday, Tiny Tim's donated 5,000 toys to children in Zimbabwe.
"We have 1.5 million Orphans in Zimbabwe and the majority have never seen a toy in their life," said Reeve Nield with Eyes For Zimbabwe. "It's great to give them pens notebooks and books to read, but to give them something extra like a toy, it's over the top for them."
It's especially over the top if you get one painted by Judy Lindstrom. In the last five years, she's painted nearly 5,000 — all by hand.
"It makes me feel good to see little kids smile," Lindstrom said.
"We take wood that would be wasted, we take people's time that would be wasted, and we take a little toy so a child's mind won't be wasted," said Thacker. "It makes a difference — you bet it does."
The 5,000 toys made for the children of Zimbabwe are now with Santa Claus, ready to be delivered in time for Christmas.
Email: [kaiken@ksl.com](<mailto: kaiken@ksl.com>)
