Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
BRIGHTENING SPIRITS
First West Chester Fire Co. adopts local family for holidays
WEST CHESTER » Thanks to the generosity of The First West Chester Fire Company Station 51, a family in the West Chester Area School District ( WCASD) will have a very merry Christmas.
Every month, the First West Chester Fire Company ( FWCFC) holds a meeting for its members and active crew. Once Covid- 19 hit the area, the meetings became virtual. Andy Rongaus, President of Station 51, took notice of $ 1,800 that wasn’t used for meeting expenses and decided to put the money to good use.
“This pandemic has been challenging for our volunteers who have been on the front lines of dealing with this pandemic” said Rongaus. “The nature of our volunteers is to give back and to help out. The generosity displayed by our volunteers is incredible and we hope that this brightens the spirits of some of our local families.”
The fire company reached out to Paige Merten, principal of Hillsdale Elementary School, and told her they wanted to adopt a family from the school for the holidays. Merten had a family in mind and she collected a wish list from the parents.
Rongaus was surprised to see that many of the family’s requests were for basic needs such as blankets, sheets, coats, and socks. “These are all things that we take for granted. We made sure to include a lot of
toys and games for the six children,” Rongaus said.
It took two pieces of apparatus, Santa Claus, and six elves to deliver all the gifts. The fire company stopped by the school on Wednesday to pick up Merten who accompanied them to the family’s home.
The children were so excited to see Santa Claus and the fire truck pull up outside their home. They helped to carry all bags and boxes inside, laughing and giggling with delight.
“The sheer joy on the children’s faces is what the spirit of the season is all
about,” says Merten. “It is amazing what this fire company did for our Hillsdale family.”
Of the 11,990 students enrolled in the WCASD, slightly more than 16 percent are considered to be at an economic disadvantage.
In addition to raising $ 2,000 for gifts for local families in need, the First West Chester Fire Company also is making a $ 1,200 donation to the West Chester Food Cupboard.
The First West Chester Fire Company is one of three 100 percent volunteer fire companies that make the West Chester Fire Department. The Station is located at South Bradford Avenue and West Miner Street in East Bradford Township.