(Editor’s note: Participating children’s names were excluded for privacy reasons.)
Bringing holiday cheer to local families, Columbia County Fire Rescue partnered with Columbia County Community Connections’s Dream Academy on Friday evening, Dec. 15, to provide 22 children with much needed Christmas presents.
Thanks to the county’s Fire Rescue raising $31,000 in May with their annual Boot Drive, Columbia County Community Connections’s (CCCC) Dream Academy paired firefighters with elementary school children, and gave each a $200 budget to buy Christmas gifts for themselves at Walmart, Inc.
For 10 years, Fire Rescue and CCCC’s Dream Academy – a local organization that provides after-school programs and other opportunities for low-income families – has provided over 20 kids each year with much needed holiday happiness.
“It supports a more stable family system by providing after-school care to those who can’t afford it so parents can keep their job,” said CCCC’s Dream Academy Director Beth Randell. “This isn’t something everyone gets to do. It’s very special and just for them, so the kids are really excited for this. It helps them build confidence, too. I think it’s good for them to also see community role models like this.”
Welcomed by store staff with a brief Christmas party, which featured an appearance from Santa Claus and other characters, participating children fueled for shopping by enjoying festive snacks and sweet treats.
“It just shows them that they are valued,” said Randell. “It’s important to also teach them about giving back and being kind. We’re really working on showing manners, too, and being grateful for what we have, so I hope they walk away just feeling blessed and loved by the community.”
Eyeing toys, clothing, books and additional items at the Evans’ Walmart, children laughed and jumped excitedly while firefighters assisted them by lugging around shopping carts and keeping track of their budget.
Firefighter from Station Five Robbie Stevens said it was his sixth year helping children shop for presents in the county, and he has always loved seeing their faces light up while picking out items.
“I like it, too, because we collect the money in May, and we get to see the results of the work,” he said. “It’s neat because a lot of times we collect for something and we don’t get to see where it goes or who gets it, but with this we do.”
Stevens said the one-on-one shopping also gives firefighters the opportunity to develop relationships with the possible next generation of rescuers.
“That connection is important, so they don’t just see us as a big, red truck but also as people. We’re just like them and we care,” he said. “Firemen aren’t superheroes in capes. We’re just like everyone else, and we have families, too. We’re moms, dads, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters too.”
A local father as well, Stevens said many of the firefighters also try to communicate the importance of education while interacting with the children.
“We could also maybe inspire them to one day become a firefighter, so we always tell them to stay in school and keep their grades up,” he said. “We tell them that whatever they want to be, they can be … even firefighters have to do math to pump the trucks and get water out of them.”
Without the yearly event and the generosity of the county, single-mother and county school bus driver Shavonne Greer said her family would have severely suffered this holiday season.
“It means a lot. As a single parent, I’ve been having to carry a lot of the load for us and myself,” said Greer. “This has been a really tough year financially for me, so I’m beyond grateful.”
Similar to Greer’s situation, Randell said many of the children who attend the program come from single-parent homes, are foster children or are living with their grandparents who primarily take care of them.
“I think it’s an awesome gesture from these firefighters, and so I’m so appreciative of it. Them give back to the community every year … people always say, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ and this is a clear example of what our village does,” said Greer. “I honestly don’t know what I would have done for my kids this year, so this means everything for us.”
As children went home with brand-new action figures, books, board games, dolls, winter clothing, bedding and more, parents and firefighters were grinning from ear-to-ear as each enthusiastically looked forward to Christmas and the joy it would provide.
“I can’t think of a more wonderful sight,” said Greer. “Now this is what Christmas looks like.”
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education, lifestyle and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com
