Thrifty Thurston Welcomes Santa on a Fire Truck

lacey fire santa
The Lacey Fire Santamobile will be visiting neighborhoods December 8-19.
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By Megan Conklin

Rock FitnessPerhaps it because they both love the color red. Or maybe it is because they both tend to show up at houses in the middle of the night bringing good cheer (and an ample supply of water), but there is a natural affinity between Santa Claus and a fire truck. Put them together and they are bound to bring joy. Five local fire departments will continue their tradition of hosting Santa on a fire truck this season – check the list (twice!) to see if Santa will visit a neighborhood near you.

 

lacey fire santa
The Lacey Fire Santamobile will be visiting neighborhoods December 8-19.

Lacey Fire District Three

Lacey Fire has a long history of the “Santamobile,” a vintage fire truck that carries the jolly old elf himself to neighborhoods throughout Lacey. According to battalion chief, Steve Crimmins, “Lacey Fire District Three was originally a primarily volunteer firefighting force. The District’s Santamobile program was started as a way for firefighters and staff to stay connected with the community they lived in and served. Today it continues as a community outreach tool, allowing District members the opportunity to interact with our great community and spread safety messages and holiday cheer.”

Matt Conklin, a Lacey firefighter and father of four, played the role of Santa on Lacey’s truck last year. “It was a fun and different way to get to know the citizens of Lacey,” Conklin offers. “The more that kids in the community can connect with firefighters in a positive, happy situation, the easier it is for them to accept help and support in an emergency.” The highlight of Conklin’s stint as Santa was when one young boy ran up to the fire truck and offered him a personal letter filled with his hopes and dreams for that Christmas season.

Check out Lacey’s Santamobile schedule for 2014 here. But, be sure to double check Lacey Fire District Three’s Facebook page for updates, because if the weather outside is frightful, they may alter Santa’s route.

Tumwater Fire Department

santa fire truck olympia
Santa plus a fire truck equals tons of holiday fun.

For more than twenty years, Tumwater Fire has brought Santa out to visit the streets of Tumwater on a fire truck. This year, St. Nick will be riding on Tumwater’s antique fire truck from December 6 through December 20 and, as usual, will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Thurston County Food Bank. It is Tumwater Fire’s tradition to at least attempt to visit every single street in the city – weather permitting.

Twelve-year-old Tumwater resident, Aynsleigh Dragon, has enjoyed Santa’s annual visit to her neighborhood over the years. “It is always fun to go and see Santa and also talk to all the fire men and women,” Dragon explains. “It is really cool to see the decorated ‘sleigh.'” But the philanthropic purpose behind the visits is what makes Santa’s visits on the fire truck most meaningful to young Aynsleigh. “What I really appreciate is they use it as a means of collecting food to share with folks who need it.”

Check out Santa’s Tumwater schedule here and visit Tumwater Fire Department’s website for updates about weather and schedule changes.

East Olympia Fire District 6

santa fire truck
East Olympia’s Santa Fire Truck brings good cheer and fun to families in rural Thurston County.

East Olympia Fire covers 30 square miles, serving the communities east of the Tumwater city limits, southeast of the city limits of Olympia and Lacey, and north of the Tenino city limits. Through December 11, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Santa and his elves will be travelling through those neighborhoods on an East Oly fire truck to distribute holiday good cheer and to collect food and monetary donation for some very special adopted Christmas families from the community.

Find the details of Santa’s route in East Olympia here.

Griffin Fire

Griffin Fire Department will be running a Santa Fire Truck on December 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the Steamboat Island area. Additionally, on December 21 at 6:00 p.m., Santa will be visiting the Carlyon Beach Grange for some holiday cheer and candy cane fun.

McLane Black Lake Fire Department

The McLane Black Lake Fire Department, which proudly serves the areas northwest and southwest of Olympia, will also be running their Santa Fire Truck again this Christmas. Santa will leave the fire station at 5:30 p.m. each night and drive through the streets spreading holiday cheer to residents from Cooper Point Road all the way to Summit Lake. Sleighs run through December 11, so check out the specific schedule of both the North and South Santa Sleigh’s here for more details.

Santa Claus is coming to Thurston County in a big way this season. So watch out, don’t cry, collect some candy, sing a carol or two and possibly even donate to a good cause when Santa visits your neighborhood on a fire truck this December.

Thrifty Thurston highlights inexpensive family fun in Thurston County.  The weekly series focuses on family-friendly activities throughout our community.  If you have a suggestion for an article, send us a note at submit@thurstontalk.com.  For more events and to learn what’s happening in Olympia and the surrounding area, click here.

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