Even the little girls want their own truck.

Crafty volunteers of the Kiwanis Club spend nearly three months hunkered down in George Garrels’ cozy wood shop, building toy trucks for holiday Santa events. While they are intended for the young boys of Orcas Island, girls want in on the action too.

“We also collect stuffed animals for the kids and a lot of times, the girls say, ‘I want a toy truck instead!’’” Garrels said. “So we always make some extra.”

Around 120 handmade toys will pass through the wood shop every season. The tradition started in 1996 and the number of toys has grown from an initial 50 items.

Garrels goes to island construction sites and picks up wood scraps to use for the toys. With painted wheels and a branding of “Handcrafted by Orcas Kiwanis Club,” the trucks are made with love and care.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s really a lot of fun,” Garrels said.

The toys – and stuffed animals – fill Santa’s bag for the Tree Lighting event on Dec. 7. Kiwanis members also drop them off at Children’s House and Kaleidoscope.

“The kids’ eyes light up when they see the toys,” Garrels said. “It’s really wonderful.”