When Tim Boykin walked into the Sampson Center on Halloween morning, he was crushed.

“Somewhere between 8 p.m. the night before and the next morning, someone broke into the facility,” the Sampson Center director said.

Taken in what has been called a brazen robbery was a flatscreen television, two computers, a printer, a digital camera and presents — Christmas gifts that had been donated for needy youngsters in the area.

You see, Boykin and the folks at the Sampson Center have been playing host to the annual Toys for Tots drive for over a decade, giving thousands of presents to local childrenwho would otherwise go without during the gift-giving season. Just last year, the center passed out 47 bikes and loads of toys to over 200 children in need.

The collection was already under way this uner, which is why the Grinch who entered the Sampson Center on that chilly October night walked out with more than just some electronic items. He also took hope for hundreds of local children, hope that they, too, would receive something nice this holiday season.

“The question is why would someone do something like that,?” Boykin said. “All of the items that were taken were here for the community’s use — it is for the community. I had kids and adults come in here to use the internet. The kids used the computers for homework because they might not have a computer or internet access at home; this was a place they could come and use it to help with their homework; The television was here for the kids to watch games or just get away. To take a computer, a television ... but to take presents for kids? That was just too much.”

Earlier this year, Boykin started collecting toys to pass out to needy children this Christmas. At the time of the robbery, he had one big box and half of another filled, gifts he planned to use as he played “surrogate Santa” this year.

“For someone to come in here and steal toys that are going to be used to pass out to needy kids, man, it just seems cold to me,” Boykin said of the robbery.

“To be honest, it was a shock for me that someone would. When I came in and saw all of them gone, I just felt empty inside.”

The timing of the robbery couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Toys for Tots program. With about a month left for collection and a major sponsor dropping out this year, Boykin said if a blessing doesn’t happen quickly, time will run out before enough gifts are collected.

“I can understand with the economy and everything ... it’s tough for everyone,” he said. “If something don’t happen soon, though, we will not be able to accommodate half of the kids we did last year, and that is the truth of it.”

For the record, police are still investigating the incident and have not made an arrest.

Boykin excuses himself from the interview to answer a phone call; on the other line is a mother trying to get her young children put on the Christmas list. Calls like this come in on a daily basis.

“All we can do right now is put them on the list; it will have to be first-come, first-serve,” he said. “All we can do is hope that as the weeks go on, people will get more in the spirit of giving, because some of these kids won’t have anything.”

Those wishing to contribute can take an unwrapped present to the Sampson Center, 808 Barden St., Clinton, or Clinton Recreation and Parks main office at Royal Lane Park, during regular business hours. If it is wrapped, please signify if the present is for a boy or girl and the age of the child it is for. Checks can be made out to Clinton Recreation and Parks , with Toys for Tots designated in the memo line.

“Even if it is a dollar,” said Boykin, “it is going to help.”

For more information call 299-4900 ext. 3069.

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or send e-mail to sisports@myclintonnc.com.