FARMINGTON — Four Rangeley firefighters and fire police shopped the aisles of Wal-Mart on Thursday for some of the hottest toys for their Kids for Christmas Party on Dec. 13.
It will be the 14th annual party the Fire-Rescue Department and its Auxiliary has held, Capt. Clyde Chapman said. The money for gifts is from returnable bottles and cans donated by the community, fundraisers and donations, he said.
The department has bottle-collection containers at its fire stations in Rangeley and Oquossoc village.
The original party started out small with a donation of $350 from the Westbrook Fire Department. Chapman estimated they will be spend about $2,000 or more on this year’s event.
Store manager Greg Patterson and co-manager Matt Packard greeted the group.
Fire Chief Tim Pellerin, Capt. Clyde Chapman, fire-police Capt. Suzanne Lord and firefighter Lisa Symes filled shopping carts. Pellerin thanked Wal-Mart for its $200 donation. He also thanked Rangeley Treasurer Rebekah Carmichael, who was not in attendance but had connected the department to the store manager.
Lord, who plays the elf at the party, said she will help guide the children to Santa to have their pictures taken during the 1 to 3 p.m. party at Rangeley Fire Station 1 on School Street. If the children are too shy to have their pictures taken with Santa, they can have their pictures taken with the elf, she said.
Chapman had his hands full of toys in minutes as he scoured the aisle.
Symes gathered “Frozen” character dolls and Thomas the Train items, and Pellerin had a handful of Sparkling Girlz dolls. They also chose Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle characters, Transformers, Avenger dolls, and tabletop air hockey and Foosball games. And, they didn’t stop there. Radio control cars and a firefighter dress-up costume were among the items selected.
Firefighters said it is their way to give during the season.
Chapman said he likes seeing the facial expressions of the children when they try to choose a toy. The toys are not wrapped and they don’t know which one to choose, he said. They usually end up coming back with the first toy they chose and asking to exchange it for another, he said.
The party is for children in kindergarten through grade five in the town and surrounding communities.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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- Rangeley Fire-Rescue Department members shop at Wal-Mart in Farmington on Thursday for their 14th annual Kids for Christmas Party. From left, kneeling, are fire-police Capt. Suzanne Lord and firefighter Lisa Symes; back, Chief Tim Pellerin, Capt. Clyde “Chappy” Chapman, store manager Greg Patterson and co-manager Matt Packard.
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- Rangeley fire police Capt. Suzanne Lord, left, and fire Chief Tim Pellerin pick out Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle characters at Walmart in Farmington to buy for the Rangeley Fire-Rescue Department’s Christmas party for children on Dec. 13 in Rangeley.
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- Rangeley Fire-Rescue Capt. Clyde “Chappy” Chapman and Chief Tim Pellerin check out toys at the Farmington Walmart on Thursday to consider buying for the department’s Christmas party for children on Dec. 13 in Rangeley.
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- Rangeley firefighter Lisa Symes checks out a Thomas the Train toy Thursday as she and others from the Rangeley Fire-Rescue Department shop for toys for their Christmas party for children on Dec. 13 in Rangeley.
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