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December
14, 2002 - When FF Beth Ann Poppell was talking with
Capt. Hal Herndon one day at Glynn County’s Headquarters'
Station, little did she know that she would be embarking on a
project that would make a difference in some children’s lives.
All he said was that “someone ought to take some kids
shopping for Christmas.” “See if it could make a difference to someone.”
(It seems like he had said something similar about better
fire department publicity some years earlier to someone as well)
In either case Beth Ann immediately saw a vision of what
she could possibly do with a department already motivated to
“help make a difference” in the community.
She
contacted Safe Harbor, a local organization that houses kids
that were abused or which courts had given temporary custody to.
She asked the manager what kind of Christmas children
there would be having. Some,
being away from family for their first time and spending
Christmas with a different group of people would depend only on
what community and what volunteers provided.
Next she thought about how The Glynn County Fire
Department could possibly help the Todd Rick’s family as well.
Todd Rick was a former firefighter who had received a job
in Washington and just a few months prior had gotten Cancer and
died leaving behind a beautiful family with Children who now
lived in Brunswick.
She
discussed her plan with Glynn County Fire Chief Johnson and
received his approval. She
asked Capt. Tommy Dixon for ideas and help in treating kids to a
shopping spree with firefighters.
The two of them immediately got to work.
Memos were sent to all Glynn County Firefighters, which
asked for a little extra money so these children could “shop
with a firefighter” at Christmas.
When the Glynn County Volunteers heard about the plan
they contributed as well. Firefighters,
both paid and volunteer came forward and wanted to be the ones
the kids shopped with.
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A
group picture of the Glynn County Firefighters,
volunteers, and officers who took part in Glynn County's
first Christmas, "Shop with a Firefighter"
program. Center: Capt. Tommy Dixon and FF Beth Ann
Poppell hold certificates of appreciation presented from
the local St. Simons Island Optimist Club.
On
a cold, windy, Saturday morning on December 14, the kids and
chaperones met at The Glynn County Fire Headquarters’ station
in Brunswick to begin their shopping trip but first they had to
check out the fire trucks and equipment.
Children from Safe Harbor because they are minors cannot
have their names or pictures used in an article but one girl
everyone called “Little Bit” said that even if firefighters
had not planned to take them shopping that she thought it was
cool just to be able to hang out with some real firefighters.
The chaperone for the children said that the Safe Harbor
Children loves firefighters above all other public servants.
They are often scared of other people in uniform such as
policemen because the only situations they saw policemen in were
those often involving family violence.
The love these kids had for firefighters was obvious from
the looks on their faces.
The
kids were first asked what they wanted to buy.
The older girls quickly said cloths.
The boys and younger children wanted toys.
After their arrival at Wal-Mart it was amazing that
children were actually careful in their purchasing habits and
amount of money they could spend.
They also wanted to buy the firefighters a little
something. They
didn’t want them to be left out.
Firefighters politely said that the trip was for them and
them alone. Customers
in the store recognized that firefighters were shopping with the
kids and stepped aside for them and praised their actions.
A few of the customers pulled aside some of the
firefighters to thank them for what had been done for them in an
emergency situation in which they had experienced.
One
of the Rick’s children wanted a video and the firefighter was
careful to get permission from their mother.
Ms. Ricks told a touching story about her son.
She said that at her husband’s funeral a firefighter
pulled his badge off of his shirt and gave it to her son.
She said that all her son talks about are firefighters
and how great they are. The
badge is pinned by his mirror and it is one of the favorite
things in his room.
The shopping trip, which began at 10:00 a.m. ended at
noon. The project
is now so successful that firefighters are planning to treat the
kids to a Christmas meal as well.
When asked who wanted to help with the shopping trip next
year it was unanimous. The same firefighters want to do it again next year.
The children said that they had one unforgettable
Christmas experience. One
firefighter expressed that now he was finally in the Christmas
spirit like he had never been in.
His Christmas would be a Christmas he would remember for
a long, long, time.
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