Whitfield Firefighters, Dalton Shriners Use Boot Drive Funds To Make Holidays Brighter For 29 Local Students

Whitfield County motorists should give themselves another pat on the back.

Thanks to their generosity earlier this year during the annual Team Up for Kids Boot Drive sponsored by the Whitfield County Fire Department and the Shriners, motorists helped create memories of a lifetime for 29 students from Eastside, Cedar Ridge, and Dawnville elementary schools who were able to enjoy a special Christmas in 2017.

Known as Santa in Uniform, the second annual event started on the morning of Dec. 21, with an exciting ride for the children in a school bus to Walnut Square Mall, accompanied by flashing lights and sirens of the fire trucks and patrol cars as traffic came to a standstill for these special celebrities. Once there, all the kids had complimentary photos taken with Santa Claus and enjoyed a personal conversation with him.

Then it was off to the East Walnut Avenue Walmart store, where each child, escorted by either a firefighter or a sheriff’s deputy, was able to pick out approximately $125 worth of clothes and toys. (The firefighters donated $100, and Walmart added another $25.)

The students, who were also accompanied by several counselors from the county school system, had to buy at least one outfit, a jacket, or a pair of shoes before spending the rest on whatever they wanted.

“Some of them bought school supplies last year, and some actually bought gifts for their parents or brothers or sisters last year,” said Lt. Chris West, who again helped organize the event along with Lt. Jesse Bond.

“I believe it’s very rewarding for each of the individuals involved, giving something back to the community and helping Christmas be a little brighter for each of these children,” Mr. Bond said as he watched the last of the purchases being rung up at Walmart.

Some 42 personnel from the fire department, along with three deputies from the sheriff’s office, took part in the event, along with 13 spouses and children of firefighters who pitched in, too.

Walmart manager Rick Bartlett had several store employees helping make sure the day went off great for the kids, who also enjoyed drinks and sweet treats courtesy of the store.

“We appreciate what they do – they are awesome,” Mr. Bartlett said of the firefighters. “In addition to taking care of our community they take care of our kids, and that’s great.”

After checking out at a couple of dedicated registers, it was back to Station 8, where the kids enjoyed slices of pizza and chocolate chip cookie before the festivities came to a big close outside the station with each child receiving a bike courtesy of the Shriners and a helmet from the fire department.

“We’d like to thank everyone who helped us with Santa in Uniform,” Lt. West said, including Walnut Square Mall, Cherry Hill Photography (and Santa), East Walnut Avenue Walmart, Great American Cookie Company, and the many motorists who made donations during the Boot Drive in September.

The giving spirit didn’t stop with the Santa in Uniform event, though. As participants were enjoying slices of pizza and cookie, Fire Chief Ed O’Brien, surrounded by members of his department, presented a bag of toys and clothes, along with a gift card for $575 collected from firefighters, to a woman and her 4-year-old daughter who had lost their belongings in a fire a few days earlier.