Orange firefighters bring vacation to kids - Milford-Orange Times

Orange volunteer firefighters drop chocolate coins – Hanukkah gelt – for the children of South Central Hebrew Academy. Photo courtesy of the Orange Voluntary Fire Department.

December is always a busy month for the Orange Volunteer Fire Department, but in addition to handling emergencies, firefighters brought the spirit of winter holidays to children in Orange this month.

Firefighters donated their own money to two charities that help children. They also escorted Santa to 190 homes in the city during the Santa’s Helper program and visited a Jewish day school in the city to help celebrate Hannukah.

At the department’s annual holiday party, firefighters and friends participated in a 50/50 to raise money for the Yale-New Haven Hospital Children’s Toy Closet. When the winning lottery ticket was drawn, the prize winner stood up and told him to give his winnings to the children. The resulting donation was $850.

Firefighters tipped the hats at a monthly meeting for a special holiday fund run by the city’s social services to help families who need a little extra support to get through the holidays. Firefighters held a fundraiser and donated $1,457 of their own money to his charitable effort.

As a department, firefighters and the OVFD Auxiliary escorted Santa to the homes of about 630 children in the city. The annual event was the largest holiday fundraiser in the aid agency’s 27 years of running.

Assistant President Jillian Gagel said that Santa Claus delivers toys to a second generation of Orange residents. Not only is it a good tradition, she says, it’s a valuable opportunity for firefighters to let kids know not to fear firefighters in an emergency.

“Meeting firefighters in a lucky situation when you want to see them is very different from having them respond to an emergency at your home,” Gagel said. “We are very grateful to the community for supporting our Santa’s Helper toy delivery program. Thanks to everyone’s support, the program has grown into the overwhelmingly successful event it has become.”

At one house, Jessica Fedor of Orange was chatting with her daughter, Ava, about the nesting dolls she had received from Santa Claus, who arrived at Engine-33.

“It’s such a fun, memorable experience for them,” the older Fedor said as Ava hung on her leg.

Santa Claus, played by local resident Chris Jensen, reads the label on a toy he is about to give to eager children at a home in Orange. Santa’s helper is firefighter Will Clemens. Photo courtesy of the Orange Voluntary Fire Department.

A few days later, firefighters were out with children again to help light Hanukkah candles at Southern Connecticut’s Hebrew Academy in Orange.

The traditional gift for Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights, is coins or “gelt.” Firefighters lifted the ladder on their truck and climbed up. Children watched, excited by the presence of firefighters and the ladder truck, as chocolate gel rained down from the top of the ladder. The children took turns catching or picking up the chocolate coins. Then they watched as the Hanukkah menorah was lit.

For Rabbi Sheya Hecht, the head of the Academy, there is a spiritual connection between firefighters and the flames of the Hanukkah candles.

“It’s the fire department’s job to put out fires,” he said. They save lives and give life back. Our job is to light fires. We kindle fires in a spiritual sense that dispel the darkness. The light of goodness and kindness can illuminate lives and miles. We all definitely need more of that.”

Fire Chief Vaughan Dumas said community outreach is not only fun for department members, but also rewarding on several levels.

“For more than 95 years, our motto has been ‘neighbors help neighbors,'” he said. “That usually means responding to emergencies and helping people during what is usually a really bad day for them. But these activities allow us to interact with children and the community in a calm environment and enjoy a positive experience with our firefighters.”

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