The Rockingham County Fire Marshal’s Office collected toys for patients in the UNC’s North Carolina Jaycee Burn Unit. Wentworth, NC (December 10, 2021) – The Rockingham County Fire Marshal’s Office along with several local fire departments hand delivered a trailer load of toys to the UNC’s North Carolina Jaycee Burn Unit in Chapel Hill thanks to the generous donations of Rockingham County residents.
Operation Christmas Cheer went off without a hitch as hundred of toys and other special gifts were given to the Burn Center in Chapel Hill. On December 9, 2021 a caravan of county vehicles including six fire departments followed the Assistant Fire Marshals and two chiefs to the county line as they departed for delivery. For nearly two months, the Fire Marshal’s office collected donations across the county for the Burn Center to give families gifts for their loved ones. Parents and Grandparents are offered these gifts to give their children and grandchildren, free of charge. Children staying across the hospital are also given gifts in hopes to allow for a little more cheer this time of year.
“The support means so much,” Anita Fields, Director of After Care for the Burn Center stated in an email, “being able to help our patients and their families feel the love and hope of the season is priceless.”
This is the second year the Fire Marshal’s office has hosted the Operation Christmas Cheer toy drive. The idea sparked from a canceled Holiday Party in 2020 and a station was left with a tremendous number of toys.
“We wanted a good organization to donate [the toys] to,” Assistant Fire Marshal, Melissa Joyce said when asked about starting up the toy drive. “We were in the process of starting a Rockingham County Chapter of the NC Firefighters Burned Children Fund… So we decided to donate to the Burn Centers.” Joyce continued to say she hopes Operation Christmas Cheer will grow and become more successful with each year.
For images of this event, visit the Rockingham County Facebook Page.
