Handcrafted toy donation aims to help school officer connect with kids

SHAWANO (WLUK) -- A chance encounter at a community event last weekend inspired a Brown County man to help a Shawano school resource officer connect with kids.

Shawano Police Officer Tyler Thornborrow is in his second year as the school resource officer at Hillcrest Primary School. He knows it's his job to connect with the kids.

Rick Brunner, founder of Rick's Toybox, wants to bring smiles to kid's faces -- one toy at a time.

“Being a non-profit, this is what I do," Brunner said. "I see a need, fill a need.”

And after meeting Thornborrow last weekend, Brunner wanted to live his non-profit's mission -- surprising the officer at school six days later.

“I was impressed with you last Saturday," Brunner told the officer. "I felt a need to supply you with the tools you needed."

Those tools are some of Brunner's toys.

Handcrafted wood cars and he also brought some wooden games and puzzles -- handcrafted by one of the Rick's Toybox volunteers.

“Being with these kids one-on-one, he can challenge them and use them as tools and build up that rapport with these kids," said Brunner.

It's a donation that literally hits the nail on the head.

In the elementary school, Thornborrow says his job is all about connecting with kids.

His new Rick's Toybox tools will help to break the ice and open up conversations.

“A lot of times, even when we're having bad days and different things going on, just having something there to break that mindset and get them out of that mode really helps a lot," said Thornborrow.

But they can also be used for rewards.

A return to basics, thinking outside of the box with the help of Rick's Toybox.