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Stop by the Newberg Fire Department any day at 3 p.m. and
you’ll see firefighters enjoying a cup of coffee and a chat. That
is, of course, unless it’s during the weeks heading up to Christmas.
Then, the fire department uses every spare bit of space and moments
between calls making lists and checking them twice, sorting,
wrapping gifts and sampling goodies. The resulting gifts, part of
the department’s annual Toy-n-Joy effort, are then distributed on
Christmas eve to needy families in the area.
It’s like Santa’s workshop at a breakneck pace.
“Requests have been coming in all day,” said Division Chief Al
Blodgett as boxes whiz past his head and green cards with the names
of children and what they most desire for Christmas are whisked away
by gift wrappers.
After 75 years of providing gifts — three apiece, at least one must
be educational – the fire department has its system down.
Blodgett explained that as each application is delivered the fire
department coordinates with other agencies providing gifts to ensure
that everyone who wants a present will have one, and there is no
doubling up within the agencies.
The fire department received 315 applications for toys this year,
said Battalion Chief Roger Gano. Out of those, 25 families were
“adopted” by other agencies: Mabel Rush Elementary School, St.
Peter’s Catholic and United Methodist churches and a few applicants
who live within the boundary of St. Paul were taken by the St. Paul
Fire Department.
Twenty-one families gracefully declined the offer, saying there
were others in the area more in need than they.
All told more than 2,000 presents were distributed to 684 kids in
267 families. Countless stuffed animals filled boxes to the brim, as
well.
Books, games, makeup, dolls and cars were stacked to the ceiling in
a section of the room usually reserved for meetings. Stuffed animals
were piled so high that it was impossible to walk by without
knocking a few over.
Blodgett said funds donated to the program are used to fill gaps
the department has for particular age groups, usually kids aged 8-10
and teens. Bi-Mart gives the fire department a discount, allowing it
make even more purchases.
This year ketchup and orange soda lava lamps were a popular
purchase, he added.
Six tables holding two heavy rolls of wrapping paper each are
manned by NFD personnel and their families, each working diligently
to select, wrap, label and box the toys.
Bicycles were the most requested item this year, Blodgett said.
Luckily availability met the need — Loren Berg Chevrolet donated a
dozen new and SP Newsprint’s Retired Recyclers sent in more than a
dozen refurbished bicycles. Some children received bikes, even when
they were not requested. All told the NFD had more than 30 new bikes
to give away.
“One thing we are excited about the most are the bicycles,” Gano
said. “We went to one house with five little boys. There were five
bikes delivered to that house. The appreciation in the eyes of those
kids...was beyond description. It’s what Christmas is about for us.”
Beginning at noon on Christmas eve about 50 volunteers packed boxes
for at least six families each, separated into 42 routes. A
privately owned fire truck and vans donated by each of the town’s
car dealerships were used for deliveries.
The volunteers were back at the station by 2:30 p.m.
“That’s the fastest we’ve ever delivered presents,” Gano said. “We
are down in numbers from last year —150 kids less.”
Stan Gaibler, chairman of the Newberg Rural Fire District, had just
completed delivery on his route and was ready to depart when a
little girl of about 3-4 charged at him and wrapped her arms around
his leg for a hug.
“It tears at your heartstrings,” Gano said. “That’s what it’s all
about.”
The remaining gifts, Blodgett said, will be boxed and put
back into storage for next year.
“We never run completely out,” Gano concluded.
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