Fire Department ignites Holiday spirit, spreads joy

SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department started up their ambulance and fire truck engines and shined their lights for something other than an emergency on Saturday, Dec. 19. The six attending personnel instead volunteered to venture out into the chilly climate in order to deliver gifts to 10 families as part of the third annual Angel Tree. Fire Chief Dave Lane said the Foundation organizes the event while the Fire District supports it.

This is the first year Auxiliary Member Tabitha Bailey has organized the event. She said some of the families they are delivering to have up to six children. Many of them reside within Seeley Lake although one lives as far as Condon. She estimated that it would take over an hour to get around distributing all the gifts.

Bailey said the event's purpose is to improve local children's spirits especially around the holiday season.

"We would like to help the children that are in need for Christmas and also brighten their Christmas especially in 2020 this year," she said.

In early December donors take paper angels from a Christmas tree outside the firehouse containing a child's wish list. They then go out and purchase toys for the assigned child as close as possible to the list they were provided. Bailey said her personal favorite aspect of the event was being able to go Christmas shopping for the angels she chose.

Families in need who are interested in getting involved next year should keep an eye out for the event on the Department's Facebook page in early December.