SANTA’S RIDE

FIRE TRUCKS TOUR TOWNSHIP NEIGHBORHOODS

UPPER GWYNEDD » A familiar man in red and white brought a little holiday cheer to neighborhoods across Upper Gwynedd this past weekend.

Santa himself took a ride on an Upper Gwynedd Fire Department firetruck — technically, on three of them — through nearly all of the township’s neighborhoods on Saturday, Dec. 19.

“This past weekend, they had two really amazing events: they had the Santa ride throughout the township, where 40 different volunteers from the fire department all played Santa, and

drove around, and got the kids all excited,” said commissioner Denise Hull.

“And then, this was really neat, on Sunday they did a ‘ Sensory Santa’ event for kids who need a little more quiet setting when they see Santa. I stopped by, and they were able to do it in a very safe way: just Santa, and one family at a time, and a very open space,” she said.

According to the fire department, three Santas and a total of nine trucks covered 117 miles in the township, all in one day, and photos are available on the

company’s Facebook page. During their year-end meeting on Monday night, Hull thanked the fire department on behalf of the board, saying it was a highlight of the year for the neighborhoods the Santas visited.

“We are very lucky to have a fire department that keeps us safe, but also that works hard to come up with programming to engage the community,” she said.

“They work hard to have family fun-type activities, and I think these are just two great examples of that. We really appreciate that, and I just want to say

thanks to them,” Hull said, and board President Liz McNaney added a clarification.

“You said ‘They got the kids all excited’ — I think it got the parents all excited too, just like the kids. I think hearing the sirens, for a good reason, over the weekend was definitely a plus for the township, and it is appreciated.”

For more on the Upper Gwynedd Township Fire Department visit www.UGFD.org, search for “Upper Gwynedd Township Fire Department” on Facebook or follow @UGTFD on Twitter.

SUBMITTED PHOTO - COURTESY OF JOE RAKSZAWSKI Residents cheer and take photos as Santa rolls through their neighborhood in an Upper Gwynedd Fire Department firetruck on Saturday.