If you don’t believe that the Holiday season really brings out the best in your fellow man, you weren’t in my neighborhood this past Sunday afternoon.
We live in New Cumberland, and one of the neat traditions in our town is the annual visit from Santa Claus as he rides high atop the borough’s fire truck. Every year around Christmas, the normal quiet of our street is suddenly shattered by a massive blast of the fire siren and immediately all of the young ones in our neighborhood drop what they are doing and race outside to give Santa a wave as he slowly rides by. The volunteer firefighters ride along on the outside of the truck and serve as Santa’s helpers and they always take the time to hand out a small hand wrapped package to each child.
In all honesty, I could post an entire blog on what these volunteer men and women do year round. Is there a better way to serve your community than being a volunteer firefighter? I don’t know if there is a more selfless act of volunteerism for your Community than to literally risk your life in the name of service and safety for your fellow residents.
What they do during the Holidays is an admirable gesture any year, but they went well above and beyond the call of duty in 2007.
Last week, it was announced that Sunday afternoon would be the time that the New Cumberland volunteer fire company would bring Santa to the streets for his yearly visit. But when Sunday arrived, there was just one really big problem…… the weather. As you know, the weather this past Sunday was just absolutely miserable. I glanced out the window around Noon and it was dreary, windy, and there was a hard and driving windswept rain. I thought about the scheduled annual visit from Santa and figured that they were probably going to have to either try to reschedule for Christmas Eve (never easy) or just skip this years visit altogether.
Beyond that, I didn’t give it much thought…… until about 2:30 when suddenly there was a huge bellow from a fire truck siren. I glanced out the window to see that not only was it still raining, but raining even harder. “You’ve got to be kidding me” was the only thought that was going through my mind.
Normally it seems to take about four or five hours for my two boys to get their shoes, coat, and hat on…… when that siren went off, it only took them about 10 seconds. They waited patiently by the front door until the fire truck got to our house and then they dashed outside in to the pelting raindrops to wave to Santa and get their gift from one of the firefighters that was serving as one of Santa’s elves. Here these volunteers were, on a long Holiday weekend that most folks were spending with their family and friends, giving their time to bring Santa around to every house in the borough during a driving rain storm. They were all absolutely soaked, and with rain dripping in torrents off their caps, they gave my boys a smile, a small gift, and wished them Merry Christmas.
Not only do these men and women volunteer year round as firefighters, but this was the kind of dedication and service that is rarely seen, and it was all done for little or no recognition. Suddenly I got the idea to go grab my camera and snap a picture of them as they were riding past my house. I know it’s not much, but it occurred to me that a picture and a public thank you on our CBS 21 Community website would be my own little way of saluting these truly Hometown Heroes.
So here’s a sincere tip of the cap to the New Cumberland volunteer firefighters for their dedication to the community. By braving the elements to bring smiles to all of the borough children yesterday, they reminded me of exactly what the fellowship of the Holiday season is all about.
Nice job guys.
