Local communities unite to bring Santa to children

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

Santa Claus will visit Allenport, Roscoe and Stockdale this weekend on a big red sleigh that was custom built by area fire fighters. 

For decades, fire companies in the neighboring communities have welcomed area children to their fire and civic halls to sit down one on one with Saint Nick, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the agencies to stray from tradition. 

Stockdale Volunteer Fire Department Capt. JJ Cullen said each community usually hosts its own holiday celebrations for children, but they have come together this year to bring Christmas joy.

“We usually will have Santa at each of our fire halls, have the children come over, sit on his lap and pass out treat bags, but because of the pandemic we couldn’t really do that this year,” Cullen said. “We have to keep everyone separate, but still wanted to do something for the kids.” 

Earlier this year, the Stockdale Fire Department had a parade to escort the Easter Bunny through town and thought a similar event would work well for Christmas. 

They suggested their idea to firefighters in Roscoe, who asked if they could jump on board.

When Allenport Civic Club members heard about the holiday parade, they also wanted to participate.

“We figure the more the merrier,” Cullen said. “It’s become a group effort to make sure the children in our communities have a nice Christmas, so we combined all of the funds we had set aside for our separate plans and have turned this into a bigger and better event.”

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