Peterborough firefighters are adding their support to the annual Salvation Army Toy Drive.
The Peterborough Professional Firefighters are donating $2,000 to purchase toys from The Toy Shop on Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough for the drive.
They say store owner Jean Grant can get “great” deals from suppliers to stretch that donation, and some store customers also donated to the drive.
“I like to donate toys that don’t require batteries and are made well so they will last and be enjoyed for many years,” Grant said. “It’s something Santa and I have in common — we give away toys, except we use firefighters instead of reindeer, and a fire truck instead of a sleigh.”
On Saturday at 10 a.m., firefighters will park a fire truck in front of the store to load up the toys.
“In our roles as firefighters, we are regularly in the homes of families in need and we are seeing poverty first-hand,” said Ed Venuk, secretary-treasurer of the Peterborough firefighters.
“Many of us in Local 169 have children in our lives and feel that all children deserve a Christmas regardless of their families’ income, and it means so much to us that we can help other children and families feel special at Christmas.”
Along with the toys, the firefighters are also donating $1,500 for the Salvation Army’s hamper fund. Firefighters will also help unload a truck of food for the hamper drive and eventually deliver the hampers to the community.
“We’d like to thank the firefighters for helping kids in this community have a wonderful Christmas with some quality toys bought locally in downtown Peterborough,” said Terry Guiel, executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement Area.
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