Seven hundred children would have gone without Christmas presents had it not been for the efforts of Kansas University volunteers last October.

The university’s Center for Community Outreach organized a 5-kilometer run to collect toys for its annual holiday party. Volunteers gathered enough donations to give one toy and one book to each of 700 children at the party.

The center organized the run to coincide with Make a Difference Day, the nation’s largest day of community service. Now, it is being recognized by the sponsors of the 11th annual event: The center’s toy giveaway project will be mentioned in this weekend’s issue of USA WEEKEND, which will be inserted in Sunday’s Journal-World.

Hundreds of other area residents also banded together on Oct. 27, 2001, to make a difference through volunteering. They joined millions across the country.

Other projects in the area included:

l “Read Around the World Day,” organized by Catherine Howard of the Perry-Lecompton Kiwanis Club. Volunteers read stories, poetry and articles from books, newspapers and magazines to more than 20 elementary school children in Lecompton.

l Serving food to volunteers who were building Habitat for Humanity Houses, organized and performed by volunteers from the Douglas County Home Economics Assn. Four volunteers served venison stew, cornbread, apple cake and soft drinks to 35 workers.

l A canned food drive by Cub Scouts Pack No. 86 of Winchester. Fifteen Scouts and adults collected 227 cans of food and distributed them among three needy families in the community.

l A carnival for children with special needs. Interns for the Working to Recognize Alternative Possibilities program organized the carnival at Plymouth Congregational Church, where children played games, made crafts and ate treats. About 30 volunteers from local schools helped at the carnival.

Nearly 2 million people nationwide reported their participation in this year’s Make a Difference Day.

The next one will take place on Oct. 26.

Make a Difference Day is sponsored by USA WEEKEND and the Points of Light Foundation.