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Toy Program
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LETTING OTHERS LOVE THROUGH YOU
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| By Sally Casazza | ||||||||
| I read a quote that the Missionaries of Charity who share our building had on the wall tonight:
It is Christmas every time you let others love through you; it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand. That is what our San Francisco Firefighters do for the families we serve at the Toy Program every day. Be it cook lunch for volunteers, participate in a Chili cook off, buy a ticket for the Bimbos dance, deliver a barrel, or assist at one of the many holiday events. The smiles and love that are the result of all the hard work behind the scenes to make sure that toys are available for all children during the holidays is the bottom line, what makes us love through others. Thanks for all the folks who made the Abalone lunch a success, Opening Day, Golf Tournament, Starting of Barrel deliveries, and events happen. To FF’s Roldan, Rocca, and Kosta for their dedication and follow through. Station One for always being a phone call away. And to Phil Leanio, Steve Smith, Pat “Santa” Gardner, Danny Gracia, Pat Hannan, Phil Buckley, Greg Wyman, and all the others for making Wind & Fire Barbary Coast event for John Voelker such a success. We have an event coming up at Slide nightclub on December 10th from 6 to 9 pm. Channel 7, Jessica Aguirre will be covering this please come and support the Toy program, and show Channel 7 how GREAT the SF Firefighters are!!! Call the Toy program for more info. Merry Christmas, hope to see you at the Toys. |
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Abalone Dive
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| By Art Citron | ||||||||
| In late October, skin divers and others were assembled by Bill Bassett at the Stillwater Cove Campground on the Sonoma County Coast to gather abalone for the benefit of the SFFD Union Local #798’s Toy Program Luncheon. Divers were able to bring in several limits for the luncheon that was held two days later at the Toy Program headquarters at “Old 30 Engine”. Volunteers sliced, trimmed, and pounded abalone for lunch and a great time was had by all. As is the case each year, the campsite was buzzing with activity. Gary Montague cooked up a storm with his beer battered deep fried fish (he barely kept up with the demand); Bill Ferguson provided a case of his home made wine (unanimous opinion expressed - outstanding, with 12 bottles soon ready for the recycle bin); George Bruce squeezed into the cooking area and prepared a gourmet batch of wild game meatballs; and with no campfires allowed because of a ‘Red Alert’ in effect, the heat of the fire was warmly replaced by the heat (and laughter) of many old ‘war stories’.
The dive day is very long but enormously satisfying. Contact Bill if you are interested in participating in the future. The last Wednesday of October is the annual date of the dive and camp out. And finally, a special thanks to Firefighters Local #798 for its continuing support of the Toy Program and also to the skin divers (and non divers) who took their personal time to participate in the event. Bill Bassett |
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