Hillsboro Fire Delivers the Spirit of Giving

"I just love this time of year," says Jonathan Craig as he delivers two large bag of toys to the Hillsboro Fire Department's downtown station so they can be distributed as part of the department's Toy and Joy program.

Craig is a 46-year-old Army combat engineer veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm. He is now mentally disabled and unable to work, let alone drive.

He is, however, able to give. And that he does.

Throughout the year, Craig and his mother keep an eye out for toy sales. When they see a sale, they get toys and hold on to them for this time of year to give to needy kids.

"I love he food, family, lights, the Christmas tree and the music," he says.

Craig - whose brother is a firefighter in South Bend, Indiana - donated 82 toys on Wednesday.

He wasn't the only one collecting for the program.

The Tender Loving Care Bible study group brought in more than 200 toys and over-sized, stuffed teddy bears. The small group meets regularly at local coffee shops and members bring new toys they have purchased. Wednesday afternoon, the group brought four cars and SUVs filled with toys to the Ronler Acres Fire Station 3.

The large number of stuffed bears filled the station's day room. The members left the fire station and said their next meeting would begin their 2017 toy collection efforts.

Hillsboro Firefighters' Toy and Joy program collects new, unwrapped toys for distribution to needy children in our city. They partner with the Hillsboro Elks club who provide holiday meals and help distribute the packages throughout the city. The final distribution is December 17th.

Until then, firefighters will be accepting donations at any Hillsboro Fire Department station.

Photos courtesy Hillsboro Fire