Local firefighters and EMS workers faced a different sort of challenge last week as they steered buggies and Christmas shopped for hundreds of local elementary school-age children.
Employees of Gilmer Fire and Rescue and the Ellijay Fire Department tackled this year’s Firefighters For Kids Christmas effort together. The toy drive for kids in need is funded each year with donations received during the firefighters’ Fill the Boot campaign.
“Both departments went in on it again, as we do every year. This is our 14th year, and it was a record year for collections,” said city and county firefighter Mike Dempsey.
“When you see us out there with the boots, that’s what we’re collecting for. A hundred percent of the money goes to kids in this county,” he added.
Shopping was done at the East Ellijay Walmart and Shoe Show locations Dec. 7-8, and the team was able to deliver the truckload of toys and shoes to Clear Creek, Ellijay and Mountain View Elementary School by the following Friday.
“We start off at the smallest ones and kind of work our way up,” Dempsey said. “We buy the toys, and the (schools) get them where they need to go. We all have a really good time doing it.”
Like their profession, the firefighters’ toy drive is always a team effort. Dempsey said they try to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible.
“As far as we’re concerned, everything comes from Santa Claus,” he said.
According to principals and staff at the three elementary schools, last year’s Firefighters For Kids drive was able to reach a total of almost 300 children.
Heather Day, counselor at Clear Creek Elementary, said around 100 students are expected to receive toys at that particular school this year.
“We’re extremely grateful and appreciative for the efforts of the fire departments and first responders,” said Stephanie Burnette, Clear Creek Elementary principal. “They provided Christmas presents for several of our students, and we appreciate their support and the generous donations from our community.”
School faculty members help determine which children are in need, and parents are contacted to get permission before pickup of the donated gifts is arranged.
“They come in and pick it up just before we get out for Christmas break,” said Day. “We don’t get to see the kids’ reaction, but we do get to see the parents’ reaction, and that is pretty neat.”
Dempsey said there will be some changes to the effort going into 2022, but they’re for the good.
The boot drive could grow to three weekends rather than two, and an online donation option is being looked at, he noted.
“We had so many people who wanted to know how they could donate to it, but not a lot of people carry cash anymore. We’re going to look at some different ways we can collect money for it, maybe like a Venmo account,” he added.
The boot drives are usually done in October on the second weekend of the Apple Festival and the following weekend, but money can be donated to the Christmas toy drive year-round.
“People can come by fire station 1 or station 15 in the City of Ellijay to donate,” Dempsey said.
Dempsey emphasized that none of this would be possible without the local community pitching in to fill the boots.
“The community was great through this. People stepped up, and it went awesome this year. The stores (we shopped at) were also unbelievable. We can’t say enough good about them,” he added.