McMinnville firefighter Seabert Cox knows from experience the value of the annual Rescue Squad Toy Drive.
That’s why he was pleased to be on hand Monday on behalf of McMinnville Firefighters Association to make a donation of bikes, scooters, big wheels, soccer balls and footballs to the toy drive.
“My oldest daughter is 29 years old and I know there were a few years growing up where she wouldn’t have had anything for Christmas if it wasn’t for the Rescue Squad,” said Cox. “It would almost bring tears to your eyes when the Rescue Squad was at the door. They’d bring toys and some fruit too.”
The Rescue Squad no longer delivers toys to your door, but the annual toy drive continues to serve hundreds of area children. Parents now stop by the Rescue Squad building on Sparta Street to pick up toy boxes from a central distribution point.
Saturday, Dec. 17 is the distribution day this year.
“Most of the parents, probably 80 percent of them, wanted to wrap the toys themselves so this is a way for them to get the toys early so they can do that,” said Rescue Squad director Fred Hillis. “Plus it saves our members the trouble of finding houses all over the county.”
Hillis said the directions to some homes weren’t always very clear. “We’d be looking for a tree with a limb hanging out of it with a dog under it,” said Hillis.
This year, the Rescue Squad is expected to provide toys to 700 to 800 children, according to Hillis. Today is the deadline to submit an application to receive toys, which can be done at the Rescue Squad building.
Hillis said Rescue Squad members and other volunteers will be on hand every night from 5 to 8 p.m. until Dec. 17. Toy donations can be made any night during that time. Toy donations are currently down, according to Hillis.
“If everybody who was able would give just two or three toys, we’d be in good shape,” he said.
Monetary donations can also be sent to the Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 205, McMinnville, Tenn., 37111.