Lexington firefighters’ toy program spreads holiday cheer for 96th year
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – For nearly a century, a beloved Lexington holiday tradition has helped make sure local children wake up to gifts on Christmas morning. The Lexington Firefighters’ Toy Program, headquartered at what firefighters affectionately call “the North Pole,” is now in its 96th year of serving families in need across Fayette County.
The program began as a small effort to repair and build toys for children who lived near fire stations. Nearly 100 years later, it has grown into a large-scale operation that now serves thousands of children every year.
Lt. Chris McFarlane with the Lexington Fire Department says the program is a meaningful way for firefighters to close out a demanding year of service.
“Kinda like the cherry on top for the end of the year for us,” McFarlane said. “Most of our firefighters have had a long year, lots of runs. Our run volume is the highest in the state, and we’ve got a lot of citizens to take care of. So for us to be able to end the year with a smile, that’s very important, and we’ll continue that for another 100 years.”
The toy program is fueled by donations from the community and the fire department itself. Firefighters spend their off-duty time collecting toys from stations across the city and delivering them to the North Pole for sorting and distribution.
“A lot of firefighters spend a lot of their free time going and picking up toys from the stations and bringing them to the North Pole,” McFarlane said. “It’s a lot of work on our part, but to us it’s worth it seeing that this tradition continues.”
Out of the department’s roughly 635 firefighters, McFarlane says many are joined by their families, parents and grandparents to help make the program successful each year.
Families register for assistance in November, and this year nearly 1,000 families signed up. McFarlane says no proof of need is required.
“We don’t ask what the need is,” he said. “We just say, if you need our help, we are here to help you.”
Firefighters also plan to host a silent auction and chili cook-off to raise additional money for toy purchases. Their goal, McFarlane says, is simple — to make sure no child in Fayette County is forgotten during the holidays.
