The New Bedford Firefighters’ Union Believes! [PHIL-OSOPHY]

This year marks the 20^th Annual New Bedford Firefighters’ Union Toy Drive with the United Way of Greater New Bedford. Each year, New Bedford firefighters collect toys and gift cards to ensure that children and teens in Greater New Bedford have a happy holiday season.

New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at any New Bedford Fire Station, as well as a number of local community-minded businesses now through Monday, December 10. Once toys are collected, a number of active and retired firefighters will spend a day sorting, filling, and delivering toy requests to organizations in Greater New Bedford.

All of the items collected will be delivered to local nonprofit organizations that serve youth. Some organizations that received toys from the drive in the past include: Meeting Street/Schwartz Center, NorthStar Learning Centers, Donovan House, Harbour House, Family Preservation Program and United Way’s Family Resource & Development Center. These agencies will distribute the toys to children through their various holiday activities.

In addition to being able to drop off toys at any city firehouse, you can also do so at the following businesses: Acorn Management Properties, American Family Care, Baarsvik Souza Orthodontics, Bask, Buster’s Sports Bar & Grille, Century House, Desert Sun, Dollar General, Empire Ford, First Citizen Credit Union, Glaser Glass, Greasy Luck, Honey Dew Donuts (Church St.), Knuckleheads Bar & Grille, Lowe’s (Wareham), NBCU, New Bedford Housing Authority Office, New Bedford Health Department, Rose Alley, Southcoast Fitness, Star Oil Co., Tabor Nursing Home, The Donut Factory, The Lottery Commission, TJ Maxx (Dartmouth), West End Grill, and Zapp.

Please do not contact the New Bedford Fire Department with questions about the toy drive. Instead, contact Victoria Grasela at the United Way of Greater New Bedford with any questions at (508) 994-9625 ext. 210.

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.