Local news
The Dover Professional Firefighters Association is asking the community to help replenish its supply of gifts for the upcoming holiday season.
Just a few of the nearly 300 gifts a local car dealership donated to the Dover Fire Toy Bank. Photo courtesy of McGovern Subaru
A New Hampshire fire department was collecting gifts to give away during the holiday season when a flood damaged their entire warehouse. Now they are asking for donations from the public to help replenish their supplies.
The Dover Toy Bank provides gifts to over 100 local families in need each holiday season, according to a statement from the Dover Firefighters Association. But the Dover Professional Firefighters Association said their plans for this December came to a screeching halt when a water main broke Aug. 4, drowning their toy supply in six inches of water. WCVB-TV reported that the Toy Bank lost one estimated to be worth $40,000 of gifts.
“For the first time in over 40 years, we are starting the season without supplies to help children and families in need this holiday season,” the statement said.
The union is leaning on the community to help replenish their inventory, the statement said. Some local businesses even pitched in to help. McGovern Subaru and Portsmouth Toyota teamed up to donate more than 300 toys on Thursday, according to McGovern Subaru Love Promise Coordinator Ashley Lewis.
“Everybody was really happy to help,” Lewis said. “To be able to do something like that, to be able to give back to the community, is amazing. It’s something we love to do.”
Lewis said the toy delivery — which totaled nearly $3,000 — led to some “very grateful” firefighters.
“We tried to get as much as we could because they lost everything they’ve saved up for the whole year,” she said.
The Firefighters Association is asking for new, unwrapped toys and games for children ages newborn to 12, as well as financial donations.
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