Alana Thompson of Ann Arbor shops for her 2-year-old son Justin and her soon-to-be-born son James — due the day after Christmas — during Tuesday morning's Salvation Army of Washtenaw County annual Christmas shopping days.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

Marie Bradley shopped with her fiancé Jace Calderon for toys for their two daughters at the Salvation Army Toy Shop on Tuesday.

The couple browsed rows of tables covered with new toys, categorized by gender and age group — Star Wars figurines, a Magic 8 Ball, a doctor play set, books, Dora the Explorer dolls, a skateboard, Nerf guns and games.

The presents were donated by area residents and businesses. Debra Molitor, development director for the Salvation Army of Washtenaw County, said Borders donated books, CDs and DVDs for tweens and teens — two age groups for which gift donations are often lacking.

Bradley, who has visited the Salvation Army Toy Shop for three years, said she and Calderon chose a Play-Doh set for their daughters, Glory May Bradley, 8, and Susie Bradley, 5. And they got a toy microphone for Glory May “because she loves to sing.”

She said both girls still believe in Santa and don't know about the toy shop.

Bradley and Calderon were one of a few hundred area families to visit the toy shop at the Salvation Army Ann Arbor Corps, 100 Arbana Dr., by Tuesday morning. The event ran 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.

Families who registered for the event in October were assigned a shopping day and time and were given the opportunity to choose toys, clothes, hats and gloves for their children. Every family also received a game to play together and a turkey donated by Food Gatherers.

Molitor said about 4,000 toys were donated, and special care was given to ensure people assigned to the second day had a similar selection of gifts and clothes as those who shopped during the first day.

In addition to toys, Bradley said she was able to pick out a coat for Susie to replace the one she lost on the bus in November.

“(This event) means everything to me, especially this year with them giving out a turkey,” Bradley said through tears. “I don’t know what we would do without them.”

Calderon added, “It’s a blessing to have stuff like this.”

Elena Hesse, a Saline resident and sales director for myPay Solutions at Thomson Reuters, volunteered at the event as part of what the company calls the “Giving Season,” in which employees donate to and volunteer for charitable causes.

Hesse said she was one of about 30 Thomson Reuters employees to volunteer at the toy shop this year.

“It’s all employee driven," she said. “The company supports the fact that we do it.”

She added, “We’ve been doing this probably four to five years, and this year we brought some of our kids.”

Hesse’s daughter, Olivia Hesse, 11, was a volunteer “clothes runner.”

“I get people the clothes they need,” she said.

While Olivia Hesse admitted she doesn’t volunteer to help much around her family’s house, she said she enjoyed helping at the toy shop.

“It feels good,” she said. “Doing it here is fun because I known I’m helping someone else who needs it.”

Elena Hesse said the simulated shopping experience is a positive one for families in need.

“It gives them dignity … to be able to say, ‘I picked out a gift for my kid,’” she said.

When asked why she volunteers, she said, “I’ve been blessed with a lot of things in my life and a good job for 23 years with Thomson Reuters … I personally do it just to say I’m conscious of the people around me. … (Volunteering) makes you feel connected to where you live.”

Elena Hesse recalled an experience she had while volunteering at the toy shop a few years ago, “This woman was in line and she was talking to her relative … and she looked at one particular item, it was a box of cereal, and she said, ‘I can’t believe I have cereal.’”

She added, “That really affected me. It’s those moments.”

Volunteer Tom Venable of Ann Arbor helped shoppers carry bags of clothing and gifts out to their vehicles.

He said a lot of people are strapped for cash, and the event gives parents a chance to bring happiness to their children during the holidays.

William Meredith, maintenance director for the Salvation Army, stood outside next to a truck full of donated turkeys and gave one to each family leaving the toy shop. He said about 125 turkeys were handed out Monday.

"Everybody (who) comes through that door gets a turkey," he said, gesturing to the building's exit. "A bunch of happy people — everybody we see is smiling, saying 'thank you.'"

Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.