Thanks to the generosity of local motorists during the annual Team Up for Kids Boot Drive sponsored in October by the Whitfield County Fire Department and the Dalton Shriners, 31 students from Cedar Ridge, Dawnville and Eastside elementary schools were able to enjoy an extra special Christmas in 2018.
Known as Santa in Uniform, the third annual event came together through the efforts of dozens of county workers (and many spouses) from the fire department, sheriff’s office and E-911.
The fun started Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 18, when all the children got a special visit one-on-one with Santa in front of a shiny red fire truck at Station 8. Then came an exciting ride aboard a bus to the East Walnut Avenue Walmart store, accompanied by flashing lights and sirens of the fire trucks and patrol cars as traffic came to a standstill for these special celebrities.
Each child, escorted by public safety workers and their spouses, 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.
“Each year this is truly one of my favorite events,” said Tracie Simmons, lead social worker for the Whitfield County School System. “Just to see the excitement from the kids getting to pick out Christmas, but also the excitement of the firemen as well. I’m not sure who gets more of a blessing out of it – the kids or the adults.”
Ms. Simmons said the event is a “positive way” for the youngsters to establish a relationship “early on with our men and women in uniform … and realize that they care about them all year around, not just in an emergency.”
The children always enjoy telling their teachers and classmates about the excitement of the day, she said. “We’ve had one little boy who has been so excited about this event, and all he’s talked about is that he and the firemen are going to get to pick out some Legos.”
Ms. Simmons said she works closely with school counselors to see which students and their families would benefit most from Santa in Uniform.
“The parents are all very open to it, very appreciative,” she said. “We’ve had some parents when we called them and let them know they’ve been selected - seeing if this would be a help to them, several have cried and many have said this is just the answer to a prayer.”
Lt. Jesse Bond of the fire department, who has organized the event for the past three years, said he was very humbled again by the experience, pointing to the child he assisted and the boy’s willingness to share his good fortune to others. “The child I helped spent only $40 on himself,” he said, “and the remaining amount on family members and even his pets.”
Lt. Bond expressed thanks to everyone who helped with the event, especially Walmart for dedicating four registers to checking out the youngsters’ gifts.
After the gifts were loaded in a trailer, everyone returned to Station 8 where the kids enjoyed slices of pizza and a chocolate chip cookie.
But the fun still wasn’t over.
The unsuspecting kids came outside to find a brand new bicycle waiting for each of them, courtesy of the Dalton Shriners.
“It’s very rewarding for everyone involved,” Lt. Bond said. “Giving something back to the community and helping Christmas be a little brighter for each of these children.”
The event was made possible thanks to the generosity of motorists who donated $21,053.33 during the boot drive this fall. Seventy-five percent of the collections went to the Dalton Shriners to treat young burn victims at the Shriners’ hospital in Cincinnati, and 25 percent went to the Whitfield County Fire Department to fund Santa in Uniform.