When Santa visits the Lone Oak community, he gives the reindeer a rest, and instead gets assistance from his longtime helpers at the Lone Oak Volunteer Fire Department.
The 15 volunteer firefighters in the department, along with their family members, collected and packed food and gifts into boxes for 50 Lone Oak families in need this Christmas, said Ruth Blough, administrative assistant to the Lone Oak Volunteer Fire Department.
Signal Mountain Social Service gives the department names of local families in need, and the firefighters accompany Santa to deliver gifts to them via fire trucks and emergency vehicles, she said.
“It’s very important to them to serve their community any way they can,” said Blough, as to why the firefighters have been delivering Christmas packages to Lone Oak families for more than a decade. “In addition to fighting fires, they’re all very into volunteering.”
Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.