The artisan elves at Santa’s workshop at Royal Oaks LifeCare Community in Sun City have their nimble fingers around a high-tech computerized saw as they create designed wood toys for children they have never met who need an extra boost this Christmas.

The Royal Oak elves toy production line provides colorfully painted wooden toys to numerous groups that include Benevilla, a nonprofit organization in Surprise; Eve’s Place, a domestic abuse treatment center in Sun City; the Hope Bag Project, which provides bags of clothing and toys to children entering foster care; Luke Air Force Base Child Development Center in Glendale; Neighborhood Ministries Social Services; Aqua Fria Food Bank in Avondale, the City of Phoenix HeadStart Program in Phoenix; West Valley Food Bank in Glendale; Thrive Arizona, a nonprofit organization in Peoria; the Sun City Posse in Sun City and their toy drive for the children of Aquila; and Samaritan Purses an International Relief Group, which sends gift-filled shoeboxes to children in need around the world. Last year, the wooden toy makers produced 2077 toys. This year they plan to deliver more than 2,600.

Giving of their time and talent is not a new concept for the nearly 12-member team of craftsmen at Royal Oaks who apply their talents and skills to making the toys. In addition to head elf Jimmy Smith, team members are George Bersheid, Phil Carpenter, Lynn Carpenter Tim Erickson, Mike Euritt, Dick Gibson, Jeff Heffington, Frank Kagawa, Raymond Larson, Marshal Oaks, Ken Shueman, Richard Trantow and Jim Miller, who was an integral part of the team but passed away this year.

Even though they do not look like Santa’s elves, they have the spirit and kindness of Christmas in their hearts. The idea of making toys and giving them away began in 2011, since then they have produced more than 23,000 wooden toys.

“We are pleased that we can donate to so many charities and organizations here in Arizona,” Smith said.

The chief elf said that toys are cut out of wood on a CNC computer-controlled saw, sanded and are then turned over to his wife, Claudia Smith, and the wives of the other artisan’s and others, who paint them.

This is not their only project of giving from the heart. During the COVID 19 pandemic, several members of the woodshop, led by Royal Oaks resident Don Gill, built desks for each of the Royal Oaks workers whose children were learning online and at home instead of in the classroom.

“We all here at Royal Oaks are blessed and we like to spread our gift of woodworking, to children, who get excited about their wood toys,” the chief elf added.