Firefighters and other first responders give selflessly all year round, and the holidays are no different! This year, HAIX will again partner with the Nicholasville, Kentucky Fire Department, which has been making the holidays brighter for children in their small town for more than 20 years.
Nicholasville, Kentucky is in Jessamine County, south of Lexington and the county has a growing population of 55,000 people. The fire department, which only a few years ago was made up of volunteers, now has 58 full-time firefighters in addition to support staff and administrators.
But a rapidly growing city hasn’t dampened their community spirit; if anything, it has made it stronger.
The Nicholasville Firefighter Toy Drive serves hundreds of families in Jessamine County every year. That means there are 700 to more than 1,000 children that can get presents when their families may not otherwise be able to provide them. Their motto of "ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, ANYTHING" is a fitting reminder of a commitment to care, especially in these financially trying times.
We have the opportunity to be someone’s Santa this holiday season and if you are local, you can too! We joined forces with NFD to support their work in their community as they have supported our products for years. Our showroom at 2320 Fortune Drive, in Lexington, KY will be accepting new, unwrapped toys, Monday through Friday between 8am and 5pm EST. We will be accepting toys until Friday, December 6th at 5pm. Every toy, no matter the value, is appreciated. The NFD has a goal of 500 toys this year!
If you aren’t local to the Lexington area, have no fear! There are lots of opportunities to put a smile on a child’s face this holiday season. Many Police Departments have "Shop with a Cop"; a program where children go holiday shopping with a deputy or officer to buy gifts for themselves and/or their family. The United States Marine Corp offers "Toys for Tots," serving more than 7 million children each year. The Salvation Army has the "Angel Tree" and "Food Angel" programs where you can pick an ornament off the tree with a gift request for a specific child or add $25 to your grocery bill for with the proceeds assisting families to have a brighter, joyous holiday season. These are just a few of the many ways to give to a child this season.
The Nicholasville Fire Department Toy Drive has several locations where people can drop off unwrapped toys, until December 20th. For more information, check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NicholasvilleToyDrive/ or send them an email, Nicholasvillefftoydrive@gmail.com.
No matter how you celebrate the holidays, take time to be thankful for what you have, enjoy the kindness of others, and stay safe!