Christmas Eve is a time when children anxiously await the sound of hooves on their rooftops and the jingle of sleigh bells, their Christmas tree brightly lit, a beacon telling Santa “place my gifts here.”
In an effort to keep that Christmas spirit alive, Muncie’s Fire Department has been collecting Toys for Tots donations again this holiday season.
The department gives toys to a number of kids in the Muncie community, ranging anywhere from 700 to 1,000 kids each Christmas.
The chairman for the Muncie Fire Department’s Toys for Tots drive, Kevin Gibson, said the number of kids they serve each year fluctuates because it depends on how many families sign up for the program through the Salvation Army.
“It can be a tough pill to swallow saying that you need help, especially when it comes to buying Christmas presents for your kids,” Gibson said.
Gibson said the fire department’s involvement began in the '70s when a house fire occurred on Christmas Eve.
“They lost everything, and the guys in the department really took it upon themselves to provide them with a good Christmas,” Gibson said. “The tradition has continued ever since then.”
Gibson, along with three other firemen, work at a storefront during the week in order to deliver gifts to families in need.
While this is only Gibson’s fourth year as chairman, he said he grew up around the program because his dad was the previous chairman for 16 years.
“I was the toy tester,” Gibson said. “You see people in some of the worst times they've had, and it really makes you appreciate your life and it shows you not to take things for granted.”
Citizens are encouraged to make donations to one of seven Muncie fire departments year round. Donations can be monetary or come in the form of new or lightly used toys.
“I have three kids of my own,” Gibson said. “I can’t imagine how I would feel if I couldn’t give them a gift on Christmas. That’s something that no child should have to experience.”
Gibson said every one of the 100 firefighters in the Muncie Fire Department helps in some way. Some make donations, others help deliver the gifts, and some participate in their annual bowling fundraiser.
This year’s fundraiser will take place at 1 p.m. Dec. 10 at Munsee Lanes. The cost is $10 per person.
“Munsee Lanes is a great partner to have,” Gibson said. “They are gracious enough to let us use their facilities for free, so every dollar we make goes toward helping these families.”
This program is a great way for him and the fire department to give back to a community that has done so much for them, he said.
Their storefront is located at 3727 S Madison St.
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