ND Inmates Giving Back by Repairing Toys for 2014 ‘Christmas Playpen’ Project

Minimum-security inmates at the Missouri River Correctional Center are keeping busy this holiday season -- and giving back to the community -- by participating in the 2014 Christmas Playpen project.

The project is made possible through a partnership between The Bismarck Tribune, the North Dakota Department of Corrections, The Salvation Army and Dan's Supermarket, among others, and is designed to help bring holiday joy to underprivileged kids in the community.

This year, eight MRCC inmates, including Brad Delzer, 30, Scott Iwen, 35, Lee Wegener, 46, and Charles Barton, 56, have set up a workshop in a large shed at the correctional center. Their mission is to sort, inspect, repair or part out toys for the cause, including hundreds of donated bicycles. They also make sure nothing defective or unsafe makes it into the hands of children.

Delzer says that the project is "a nice thing to do for the community," while Iwen agrees that it makes a worthy pastime.

Inmates at the Dakota Women’s Correctional and Rehabilitation Center in New England are also helping out with the project.

The participants will continue repairing toys until December 8, at which time all the gifts will be delivered to the Salvation Army, which will distribute them during their "Joy Shop" event.