Operation Santa

Operation Santa Claus

Operation Santa takes place in December, which is a time for giving back to our community and Clackamas Fire District #1 is responding with lights and sirens… The annual Operation Santa program is a month-long toy and food drive, fire district volunteers, firefighters and employees join Santa in a parade of fire engines as they meander through local neighborhoods, collecting non-perishable food items and new unwrapped toys throughout the community. We participate in 15 community parades, partnered with 30 local businesses, teamed up with 7 schools, and donation barrels at 16 of our community fire stations.

The operation also offers many other ways to donate. The Giving Tree, located at Clackamas Town Center is decorated with tags displaying the name and age of a child in need of a gift. There is always a need for gifts for teenagers and all gifts are returned to the Giving Tree. Food-collection barrels are also displayed throughout the Happy Valley area at Premier Sports and Fitness, Happy Valley City Hall, Fire Station #6 and the Green Leaf Monterey Apartments. Financial Donations are also accepted and families in need are selected through Compassion in Action Clackamas County (CiACC), a coordinating agency for many Clackamas County holiday drives to assure the most people can be served.

After each parade, a team of volunteers takes the items to the warehouse and unloads and inventories them. Canned food in separated into categories and toys are separated by age. Next, volunteers prepare and pack items according to the families who they will be donated to. On 2 specific dates, the families come to the warehouse to pick up their boxes. In addition, firefighters and volunteers make special deliveries to those who cannot pick up their items. Applications can be picked up at any local DHS, or at the Boring Community Fire Station and the Fire District #1 administration building from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Please join us for any of our parades where you can find detailed information regarding Operation Santa Claus or parade route maps on our website at:  http://www.clackamasfire.com/operationsanta.html.

Thank you all for the outpouring of support and generosity as we help those in need across our community.