Kids in need will soon “Shop with a Caledon Firefighter” for Christmas

By Zachary Roman

Caledon Fire and Emergency Services members have a full day of Christmas shopping and fun planned for local kids in need.

On December 18, the first annual “Shop with a Caledon Firefighter” day will be held.

Alton firefighters Lindsay Wild and David Rood have been leading the way in planning for the event, which will see children from selected families in need receive $200 to spend on gifts for themselves and their loved ones at the Bolton Canadian Tire. After the kids have finished shopping with their firefighter companion, everyone will get on buses back to Station 303 in Caledon East for snacks, refreshments, crafts, fire truck tours, and a chance to meet Santa. At the station, volunteers will wrap the kids' gifts for them so they're all ready to go under the tree on Christmas morning.

Wild and Rood wanted to bring back the shopping event as they had both volunteered at a “Shop with a Cop” event a few years ago. They said it was an amazing experience that left a lasting impression. Unfortunately, the pandemic meant Shop with a Cop was canceled for a couple years. When Wild and Rood learned Shop with a Cop would not be returning in 2022, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

“We felt it was important for us to get out there and start this up again… I figured if we can just get the ball rolling then we can build from there,” said Wild. She and Rood only found out a few weeks ago that Shop with a Cop wasn't returning, so it's been full speed ahead for the pair of volunteers.

First, they had to make sure they had all their partners in place. The Bolton Canadian Tire is helping by way of a substantial donation, as well as by bringing in staff to open their store early exclusively for the kids on the 18th.

Parkview Transit is helping by providing free bus service to take the kids and the gifts they bought back to Station 303. Bolton Rotary is helping out by managing all of the donations.

Since Wild and Rood put together this year's event on such short notice, they could not get registered as a non-profit. Since Rotary already is one, they are able to help by taking care of the financial side of things.

There's going to be 22 kids participating in the event this year, but some of them are bringing along their siblings so the whole party will be around 35 kids. 

“The kids deserve it, especially with everything that's been going on the last couple of years,” said Wild, and Rood agreed, adding that you can't explain inflation or a recession to a kid.

“It's a fantastic event for everyone involved… the volunteers, the parents, the children… just to get out there, talk to each other and have fun.”

Wild said the amazing thing is the kids chosen for the event will spend the vast majority of the money they're given buying gifts for their parents and siblings, leaving the smallest portion left for themselves.

“They'll have a list,” said Rood. “They're like, ‘I have to find this for my brother', and then the firefighters are there to help.”

Wild said it's beautiful to see that at such a young age the kids understand what it means to be caring.

“Just putting other people before themselves, you know?” said Wild.

Caledon Fire is accepting donations for this year's event right up until December 18, and donations can be made online at boltonrotary.ca or by mailing a cheque to: Rotary Club of Bolton (Shop with a Caledon Firefighter), P.O. Box 405, Bolton ON, L7E 5T3.

Donations of $50 and above will receive a tax receipt. If donations exceed the amount of money needed to run this year's event, they will carry over to the next as Wild and Rood intend to make Shop with a Caledon Firefighter an annual occasion. 

“That way, we'll have a head start towards making the event bigger and taking on more families,” said Wild, adding she thinks the event has real potential.

Rood said the generosity of Caledon always amazes him, and that volunteering as a firefighter has helped him realize the different types of volunteer work that are required to make a community great.

Wild agreed: “Volunteering previously with the OPP, it was probably the most impactful event that we've helped out at. It's stuck with us for years… why wouldn't we put that little bit of extra time in and make it happen?”