You can help make the holidays bright for a Sonoma Valley child in need this holiday season by simply donating a gift for the 7th annual High-Powered Toy Drive at Infineon Raceway.

All toys collected during the three-week drive, which begins today, Nov. 16, will be distributed to more than 250 children at the raceway’s annual Race to the Holidays Christmas Party on Saturday, Dec. 12.

Children will pre-register for the party through eight Sonoma Valley community groups, including the Boys and Girls Club, Valley of the Moon; La Luz; Valley of the Moon Teen Center; Stand By Me Mentoring; Hanna Boys Center; the Sonoma Valley High School Teen Parent Program; and the Willmar Center for Bereaved Children.

“After the party last year, the kids had a renewed sense of hope and it’s like they were giddy little kids again,” said Rebecca Hermosillo, executive director of the Valley of the Moon Teen Center. “They felt like somebody cared and gave them something. It was just really rewarding for them.”

New, unwrapped toys and gifts for children from babies to 16 years old are needed. Donations can be dropped off at the following locations in Sonoma Monday-Friday through Monday, Dec. 7:

• Infineon Raceway, 29355 Arnold Dr., Sonoma, 95476, 800-870-RACE, www.infineonraceway.com, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Toys can also be mailed to the raceway.

• Willmar Center for Bereaved Children, 579 First St. West, Sonoma, 707-935-1946, www.willmarcenter.org, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
 
• Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce, 651-A Broadway, Sonoma, 707-996-1033, www.sonomachamber.com, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Sonoma Valley Fire Department, 260 Second Street West, Sonoma, 707-996-2102, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Schell-Vista Fire Department, 23000 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-938-2633, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Swiss Hotel, 18 West Spain Street, Sonoma, 938-2884, noon-5 p.m.

• Sonoma Valley Sun, 158 West Napa Street, Sonoma, 707-933-0101, 9 a.m. -5 p.m.

• Sonoma Index-Tribune, 117 West Napa Street, Sonoma, 707-938-2111, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Gundlach-Bundschu and its guests will again support the Christmas Party at the winery’s Holiday-Palooza Open House & Toy Drive on Saturday, Dec. 5. The winery will gather toys during the festive event, and the public is encouraged to attend. For more information, visit www.gunbun.com.

For more information on the Children’s Race to the Holidays Christmas Party, please contact Denise Silver at dsilver@infineonraceway.com or 707-933-3950.