Employees from East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind shop for toys Thursday at Walmart in Tyler to donate to Toys for Tots. 

Shopping carts full of toys lined the aisles Thursday at Walmart in Tyler as staff members from East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind shopped for items to donate to the Toys for Tots holiday drive.

Every year, staff members of the Tyler nonprofit organization who are selected as employees of the year get to take a trip to Walmart and shop for toys, said Alicia Lansford, vice president and chief mission officer for East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind.

The organization has supported Toys for Tots for about 10 years, she said.

One main reason Lighthouse for the Blind supports Toys for Tots is because the drive is operated by the U.S. Marine Corps, and many products manufactured at the Lighthouse in Tyler are sold to the federal government, Lansford said.

This year, the Lighthouse spent a little more than $6,000 to buy 615 toys, she said.

“It’s a fun event,” Lansford said. “The opportunity to spend five grand in the toy section doesn’t come every day.”

Rosie Reed, East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind employee, said she has been blessed with a good job and is happy to help others.

“It just warms your heart to know that our company is able to help some child less fortunate have a happy Christmas,” Reed said.

Most employees at the Lighthouse, including those who took part in the shopping spree, experience some level of blindness, Lansford said.

The day of shopping is an “opportunity for people who are blind to get out in the community and get involved with organizations since it is sometimes hard for them to donate their time independently,” she said.

The Lighthouse was established in 1976 with the goal of being an employment source for blind community members, Lansford said. The organization has since grown to be the largest employer for people who are blind, she added.

“Some (employees) are legally blind, and then some go up to totally blind,” Lansford said.

The Lighthouse has a rehabilitation and training center, a low-vision store and training and education to help those who are blind or losing their vision be independent, Lansford said. The organization serves 40 East Texas counties, and all services are free, she added.

To learn more about the East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind, visit www.tylerlighthouse.org .