The La Verne Fire Department is partnering with the La Verne Police Department to host their first annual Lights and Sirens Toy Drive, on through Dec. 12.
They are accepting donations of all types of toys – especially those suitable for older kids.
“That’s a big request of ours,” Jennifer Brown of the La Verne Fire Department said. “The tween age, from 10- to 14-years-olds, tend to get overlooked.”
From 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, the Fire Department and its partners will be hosting the “Stuff the Sirens” event at the Target in the La Verne Town Center strip mall.
The department will stuff a fire engine and an ambulance with as many toys as they can.
“Our community is amazing,” Brown said. “We generally average between 600 to 1,000 toys per year … We’re expecting even more this year by partnering with our police department.”
Donated toys will be stored at Hillcrest Senior Living Center, then donated to kids in need just before Christmas.
“I think seeing that the police department and the fire department are joining forces on something like this … make people want to give,” Brown said.
For information on how to make or receive a donation, visit lavernefire.org/toydrive.
—Donya Rouzbehi
Donya Rouzbehi is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print/online journalism, and staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine. She has previously served as sports editor and a staff writer for the Campus Times, and is co-editor-in-chief of La Verne Magazine. Her other writing can be found at trillmag.com/author/donya-rouzbehi
Joseph Nocero is a senior photography major at the University of La Verne and a staff photographer for the Campus Times and photography editor for La Verne Magazine. His work can also be found at Joseph Nocero Photography.
