Toys are piling up at the Point Edward fire hall.
Firefighters in the village are holding their annual Santa’s Responders Toy Drive for children in care over the holidays at Bluewater Health and St. Clair Child and Youth Services.
“It’s a good amount so far,” said firefighter Gavin Burgess who is helping organize this year’s toy drive.
“People can donate toys any time between 8 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday at the fire hall,” Burgess said.
He hall is located at 220 Michigan Ave. Donations will be accepted until Dec. 12.
Burgess said it’s the third year firefighters in the village have put out a call for unwrapped new gifts for children, ages infant to 18.
“On Dec. 9 we’re doing a delivery for St. Clair Child and Youth and then Dec. 12 we’re going to Bluewater Health,” he said.
The drive started out collecting toys for the hospital so it could give them to young patients being cared for there over Christmas and then expanded to also include St. Clair Child and Youth Services which is based in Point Edward.
“They’re always very grateful,” Burgess said about the agencies that receive the gifts.
“We were surprised how many children are in the hospital at Christmas time,” he said.
It turned out that last Christmas the daughter of a village firefighter was in hospital and received one of the toys from the drive, Burgess said.
“Every year we’ve seen an uptick in toys so we’re hoping to keep that going,” he said.
He said they haven’t set a goal based on the number of toys. “Our measurement is a rescue truck full, so we’re hoping to get that,” Burgess said.
He added things look promising for this year since the stack of toys already donated appears like it might full the truck.
“Last year we had a big uptick at the last couple of days,” Burgess added.
The toy drive is an opportunity for the about 30 firefighters with the mostly-volunteer fire service to give back, he said.
“The whole department’s behind us and we’re grateful for that.”
Burgess has been a firefighter in the village for more than a year. He grew up in Point Edward and is a fire school student at Lambton College.
“The Village of Point Edward gives so much to us so we want to give back to people in our community and the surrounding community,” he said. “We’re here to help people.”
Organizers put out a call for donations on social media and printed a stack of flyers several firefighters hand delivered door-to-door through the village, Burgess said.
“The village is always keen to donate,” he said.
“They’re just looking for a place to donate so we’re glad to be that for them.”