Volunteer firefighters are sounding the alarm in Vernon. There’s no fire, but they are feeling the heat.
“Usually everything comes together in the 11th hour, but we’re a week ahead of time and we’re a little bit concerned,” Diane Carpenter, a Vernon firefighter said.
Here’s why. The need for toys in Vernon is up, but donations are down, way down. Right now, they have just 12 toys for babies. It’s about the same for kids 9-12. Organizers say these bins are normally bursting with donations, but this year, they remain half empty.
“I can’t explain why donations are down, but obviously numbers are up,” said Carpenter.
There are about a dozen Toys for Tots drop-off locations in town and all of them are struggling. Rein’s Deli has a bin that’s empty, not one toy. The Subaru Dealership isn’t even close to giving Santa a run for his money, but it has faired better than most.
“We open one or two cars and try and fill them with toys. Usually we get bags of toys and pour them through the sunroof,” said Lane Resnik, the general manager.
But with only a few bags of donations and much more than a carload of need, Vernon firefighters hope they don’t disappoint any children this holiday season.
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“It’s Christmas. Let’s give something back to the kids,” said Resnik.
Firefighters will deliver all toys next Monday night. You can drop off any donations at the Vernon Public Safety & Ambulance Complex at 280 West Road.
