Approximately 500 children from the Tamaqua and Coaldale areas will have a brighter Christmas this year, thanks to a Monday toy distribution organized by the Salvation Army Schuylkill Service Center.

Salvation Army employees, along with community volunteers, handed out toys, clothing and other items from the White Birch Golf Course in Barnesville on Monday.

The toys came through the Army’s Angel Tree program and Toys for Tots.

A long line of vehicles formed outside the golf course, and volunteers used golf carts to ferry toys to those who had registered for the program.