MILLINOCKET – It will be a happier holiday for many Katahdin-area children thanks to 207 toys collected by Millinocket Regional Hospital employees and friends for the Toys for Tots program, hospital officials said Thursday.

MRH employee Hal Cote collected and shipped the toys to Toys for Tots program representatives this week.

He had been collecting toys since last month, when hospital Chief Executive Officer Marie Vienneau challenged hospital employees to collect 200 toys this holiday season.

The hospital has collected toys for distribution to area children for several years, but this was the first year the hospital affiliated itself with Toys for Tots, officials said.

Millinocket Regional Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital with more than 260 employees serving the Katahdin region, which includes East Millinocket, Medway, Millinocket, Patten and other towns.