WEST LEBANON — Anticipating a greater budgetary strain on families this holiday season, Upper Valley firefighters upped their contributions this year to area toy drives, resulting in over $2,500 in toy donations to local children.
On Friday, firefighters from the Hanover, Lebanon and Hartford fire departments hit the aisles of Target in West Lebanon, shopping carts in tow. By the end of their shopping spree, they’d collectively filled five carts, totaling $3,000 in toys, which will be donated to local Toys for Tots programs, a charity run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve that distributes toys to children whose families cannot afford to buy gifts for the holidays.
For 20 years the Professional Firefighters of Hanover, the Hanover firefighter union, has contributed an end-of-year donation to local toy drives, according to union president Robert Biehm. Since 2009, the start of the annual 3288 Charity Golf Tournament, Hanover firefighters have donated $750 each year to a toy drive run by Coldwell Banker in Hanover.
This year the Hanover firefighters, factoring in the financial impact on families from inflation and high fuel prices, increased their contribution to $1,000 and reached out to their colleagues in Lebanon and Hartford to join their fundraising effort.
“We really felt like we needed to put in an extra effort this year,” Biehm told the Valley News. “Everybody is really struggling. We feel it ourselves. The economy is tight and everything is more expensive to put toys under the trees for kids.”
The Lebanon Permanent Firefighters Association matched Hanover’s target with a $1,000 contribution of its own. The Hartford Firefighters Association contributed $500.
In addition, Target managers gave the firefighters a 20% discount on their purchases to allow an additional $500 in toy donations.
“I’m on cloud nine right now,” Biehm said shortly after the shopping trip.
Hanover Fire Lt. Jeremiah Linehan brought his son Finn, 16, on the shopping excursion to assist with gift recommendations for adolescents.
Biehm said the firefighters typically get ideas for purchases from an online wish list posted by Toys for Tots, though many firefighters have children of their own to guide their judgment.
“I was walking around thinking about what my own daughters might want,” Biehm said.
Warren Coughlin, coordinator of Toys for Tots in West Lebanon, said the demand for toys and gifts so far this year has been similar to previous years.
Last year the West Lebanon Toys for Tots distributed 6,301 toys, 2,830 books, 958 puzzles, 1,041 games, 1,456 stuffed animals and 5,455 items for stockings.
“We are thankful for all the people who are out there filling the donation boxes, as well as the volunteers from Hypertherm,” Coughlin said. “We couldn’t do it without them.”
The Lebanon firefighters plan to bring their donations to Toys for Tots on Sunday, Biehm said. The Hanover firefighters will deliver their donation to Coldwell Banker on Monday.
Biehm acknowledged that one function of fire department charitable work is to maintain a positive relationship with the community, particularly to stay in good graces with the taxpayers. But he also felt it important that “no child goes without a present” during the holidays.
“I think everybody involved in the unions felt a general well-being after what we did today,” Biehm said, “As I was looking around at firefighters putting items in the carts, they had giant smiles on their faces.”
Patrick Adrian may be reached at 603-727-3216 or at padrian@vnews.com.