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Violet Township Another Successful VTFD Annual Toy Drive By Firefighter Jim Barber, Toy Drive Coordinator It is truly inspiring to see the effects of a community that works together for the greater good. While the numbers of those assisted are still being calculated, the Violet Township Fire Department annual toy drive was once again successful. We partnered with the Pickerington Local School District to identify children and families with the most need. Counselors, teachers and administrators helped conduct an application process and “shopped” for children and families from the toys collected. The success of the toy drive is possible because of community support. Nearly 50 red Violet Township toy boxes were placed in various businesses around Canal Winchester, Pickerington and Reynoldsburg. Our large sponsors, such as Meijer and Kroger, have always graciously supported this effort. Local businesses and organizations have
become great partners to the toy drive, including the Violet Township Women’s League, Stonecreek Dental, Pickerington Pharmacy, Kingy’s Pizza, Ugly Mug, Chances R and the Pickerington Food Pantry. Toy boxes are also familiar to the Pickerington Public Library, Pickerington Police Department, CVS, 5 Below and Fairfield Federal. Some businesses had employees or residents provide toys to collectively present to the fire department including Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and Wesley Ridge Retirement
Community. Countless residents in the area brought toys, gift cards and monetary donations to this cause. A few local Girl Scout troops conducted a “Drive-Thru” toy collection event on Dec. 7 that brought in nearly 100 cars. The annual Harmon Middle School dodgeball tournament was a rousing success; students bought tickets to play dodgeball against other students, teachers and firefighters, and all ticket proceeds went to the toy drive. The students proved to be more prepared, more agile and less stiff than the firefighters, resulting in another victory for Harmon Middle School. Check out our Violet Township Fire Department Toy Drive Facebook page for video of this fun and LOUD event! Once again, this community-wide effort is a success thanks to our generous residents. The Violet Township Fire Department would like to thank everyone involved and we look forward to another successful toy drive in 2020.
Remembering VTFD Members By Assistant Chief Jim Paxton As we embark on the new year, we are driven by the hopes and dreams of what may lie ahead. We enjoy the beauty and crispness of the winter months and we begin to look forward to the warmth of spring. Our focus is forward. We are propelled into the new year with resolutions of improvement and optimistic ambitions for change. However, before we charge completely into 2020, we should pause and reflect on 2019. Regardless of who or where you are, each year is filled with its share of good luck and misfortune. We each may have encountered various sized victories and significant losses. 2019 held some significant losses for the Violet Township Fire Department. We lost four longtime members of the organization: Frank E. Foster Jr., Jim E. Paxton, Gary D. Fenice and John R. Eisel. Each of these gentlemen played a significant 10
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