On the first night of winter, a group of East Ridge firefighters, police officers and volunteers brought a little warmth into the world of a couple dozen families who need it most.
On Wednesday evening, The Needy Child Fund’s Santa Train loaded up its sleigh _ actually two good-sized trailers _ and went out into the longest night of the year to provide a little Christmas cheer to 17 less-fortunate families among us.
“We coordinate this with police officers who answer calls and see people who are really struggling,” said Fire Chief Mike Williams, who along with his wife Cynthia have become the face of the Needy Child Fund. “These are low-income folks who are down on their luck.
“Tonight we’re delivering toys to kids,” Williams continued. “We’ve filled a trailer with bikes. I can’t tell you how many boxes we have but it’s a bunch.”
Williams really knows how many boxes are being delivered. Prior to the Santa Train rolling out, the NCF and volunteers started loading numbered boxes – some houses getting more than one – of toys and the like. The trailers were loaded with precision – first on the trailers were the last houses visited. Cynthia Williams checked the master list (copies were handed out to those helping) like one of Santa’s right-hand women. The operation takes a great deal of precision to ensure that the children get the right boxes.
“We’ve got stuff from newborns to kids up to 17, 18-years-old.” Chief Williams said. “We see what the mom’s want and we review it. If we aren’t provided all the information we will pay a visit to the house (prior).”
Williams said the boxes are packed with a litany of items. Some utilitarian like diapers, formula, clothing, tooth brushes. Some more festive, like skateboards, basketballs, footballs, ball gloves, oh, and the bicycles, more than two dozen total.
Asked what all the firefighters, police officers and volunteers get out of this year-long, complex effort, Chief Williams didn’t take long to answer.
“Self satisfaction,” he said. “Helping people who wouldn’t have had a Christmas at all if we didn’t provide this service.”
What’s somewhat alarming is that Williams said that over 20-plus years in which the Needy Child Fund has been operated by the city’s emergency services, the beneficiaries have been generational, as the cycle of poverty is a hard one to break.
“We have families that we help, who we are now helping their kids and their grandchildren,” Williams said.
The Santa Train is the big night of the year for the Needy Child Fund, but don’t think the helping hand is only a once-a-year proposition.
Williams said the NCF helps our residents throughout the year. He said police officers come in and inform him of families that are really in a terrible way. The NCF will provide food. For burned out families, one’s for which firefighters have added empathy, the NCF stockpile is of service.
“We try to provide the kids with a little help in the form of toys,” Chief Williams said. “It helps them cope with their loss.”
The Santa Train – Matt Rivera from the Williams clan donned the red suit trimmed in fur on this night – will be out for three or four hours on Wednesday evening. Santa will pay a little visit at each stop, Williams said.
So, don’t be alarmed if your street is lit up with blue lights of ERPD cruisers and the red lights of the ERFD firetrucks. They’re just getting a visit from a crew of big-hearted public servants who – at least on this night of the year – will be a welcome sight.
