Operation Santa sets out to deliver gifts across Greenwich

GREENWICH — Santa Claus will be out making special deliveries to children across Greenwich, thanks to the Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol.

The all-volunteer patrol will be hosting weekend fundraisers throughout the holiday season, joined by Santa and his new friend, The Grinch, in offering parents a special way of delivering their children’s holiday gifts.

In Operation Santa, the patrol hops onto its fire truck and delivers a family’s prewrapped gifts with the help of Santa and the Grinch.

For a donation of $250 per household, the patrol will make the delivery at a scheduled time. The service is offered on a limited number of slots on Dec. 12, Dec. 13, Dec. 19 and Dec. 20.

“We knew we had to do some fundraising, and this time of year we normally have quite a few things involving the public and children from open houses to birthdays to all sorts of things,” said Stephanie Dunn Ashley, president of the patrol’s Board of Directors. “Kids love Santa and some of them also like The Grinch — and who doesn’t love a firetruck when you’re a kid? This will be a great way for kids to get a gift that they had on their letters to Santa delivered to them in a fun way. This will put a lot of smiles on kids’ faces.”

According to the patrol, there will be safety guidelines in place, but kids can still get photos with Santa and The Grinch. Spots are filling up quickly but Ashley said the patrol can work with families to make a scheduled time work.

To register, visit www.ccfpp.org and make a donation to the Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol.

The Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol, which has performed public safety and emergency response duties in town for 93 years, was not able to hold its annual benefit this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The donations are critical to the patrol’s nonprofit operations, which include firefighting throughout town, salvage operations and directing traffic and controlling the scene at emergencies, Ashley said.

The patrol is one of the few remaining national organizations that specializes in salvage operations. Its members are specially trained to go into a fire and protect valuable personal property in a home or a business that otherwise might be destroyed due to flames, water or smoke.

Last year, the patrol received more than 1,000 calls.

“Not having a fundraiser this year took all our funding out for the 2020 fiscal year so this is very important,” Ashley said.