York County fire departments pitch in to help Holiday Partners toy drive
George Schwab, a member of the Lesslie Volunteer Fire Department, wanted to help ensure that needy children in York County have a happy Christmas this year.
During a chiefs’ meeting in November, Schwab rallied members of York County’s volunteer fire departments to help collect gifts through the Toys for Happiness program. He said all the county’s volunteer departments signed up to participate.
“There are so many families and children who are deserving of a beautiful Christmas,” said Schwab, an agent with Correll Insurance in Rock Hill. “Without this, they maybe would have nothing.”
Toys collected through the Lesslie department and others across York County will be distributed to children through the United Way of York County’s Holiday Partners program.
Holiday Partners is a collaborative effort between The Herald’s Empty Stocking Fund and WRHI’s Toys for Happiness, providing toys to brighten the holidays of children across York County.
The program serves families in need with children from birth to age 14.
Program coordinator Jeanie Dubrouillet said businesses and other organizations across York County have generously pitched in.
“People have dug into their pockets and contributed,” she said, “and they’ve donated a lot of stuff.”
Holiday Partners, which has been choosing and packing toys for children in families who applied for the assistance, expects to serve 681 families and 1,577 children this year, Dubrouillet said.
Toys for Happiness provides boxes at businesses and other sites across York County where donors can drop off toys. The Empty Stocking Fund collects cash donations, which go to the Holiday Partners program for the purchase of toys.
Schwab, a volunteer firefighter in Lesslie for 51 years, said the department collected toys and also donated $150 cash. Many other departments also made significant donations, he said.
“The fire departments in York County have really poured out the giving spirit,” Schwab said, “being sure that children will have toys and bicycles for Christmas.”
Want to help?
▪ Donate to The Herald’s Empty Stocking Fund by mailing donations to or dropping them off at The Herald, 132 W. Main St., Rock Hill, SC 29730. Checks should be made to Empty Stocking Fund, c/o UWYC. For more information on how to contribute, call 803-329-4052.
▪ Donate to WRHI’s Toys For Happiness by dropping off new, unwrapped toys in collection boxes at locations around York County. Local sites include WRHI/Interstate 107 radio stations, 142 N. Confederate Ave., Rock Hill; and the United Way of York County, 226 Northpark Drive, Suite 100, Rock Hill. For information on how to get a donation box placed, call WRHI’s Corree Carelock at 803-324-1340.
Empty Stocking Fund donors
Here’s a list of the generous folks who have donated more than $5,700 so far to The Herald’s 2015 Empty Stocking Fund:
Mary C. Hall, Rock Hill
Paula Bourgeois, Rock Hill
Mildred A. Moore, Rock Hill
Rock Hill Parks & Recreation Department
Harry & Virginia Miller, Rock Hill
John D. Beam Jr., Rock Hill
Elliott S. Close, Rock Hill
Robert Wilusz, Rock Hill
Frances Cauthen, Rock Hill
Mark C. Sample, Rock Hill
Meredith Bynum, Rock Hill
Dennis & Vivian Harrington, Rock Hill
Harold G. Buice, Rock Hill
Gerald & Barbara Schapiro, Rock Hill
William & Catherine Gregory, Rock Hill
Elizabeth Stratton, Rock Hill
Madge T. Duncan, Rock Hill
Mary B. Mallaney, Rock Hill
The Begans, York
Strickland & Keels P.A., Chester
Joseph & Evelyn McLeish, Rock Hill
Frankie R. Lowder, Rock Hill
Jane E. Ligon, Rock Hill
Lambert & Mary Medenblik, Rock Hill
Stanley & Rosmarie Janeski, Rock Hill
The Fan Man Inc., Rock Hill
Harold & Patsy Walker, Rock Hill
Linus & Judith Halin, Rock Hill
Anonymous donor, Rock Hill
R.L. & Jan McCoy, Rock Hill
Anonymous donor, Rock Hill
Elliott & Brenda Bollinger, Rock Hill
Dennis & Nancy Coleman, Rock Hill
Dianne Arrowsmith, York
David & Judy Dobrowski, Rock Hill
Kenneth & Carolyn Yates, Rock Hill
Pat Youngblood, Rock Hill
Larry Stroman, Rock Hill
Gerald & Penny MacDonald, Fort Mill
Debbie Abels, Charlotte
Rachel Ouellette, Rock Hill
Alison Mallard, Rock Hill
Hiram Hutchison, Rock Hill
Ronnie Faulkner, Rock Hill
Frank Robards, Rock Hill
Barry Grant, Rock Hill
Anonymous
Zeta Amicae, Rock Hill
Beverly Ernandez, Rock Hill
Swain Sheppard, Rock Hill
Raymond & Linda Zieverink, Rock Hill
John & Margaret Hook, Rock Hill
Broadus Thomasson, Rock Hill
The Barnes Family, Rock Hill
Walter L. Horton
Jane Freeman (in honor of Eleanor Rose & her baby brother), Rock Hill
Craig & Nadine Scott, Fort Mill
John Covington (in memory of Martha Covington), Rock Hill
Nancy & Peter Burroughs, Fort Mill
Pam Morrell, Rock Hill
Kwik Klean Storage, Rock Hill
Ray & Ginny Lowder, Rock Hill
The Neely Family, Columbia
Genevieve & Delmar Long, Rock Hill
James & Sharon Hoffman, Rock Hill
B.H. Faulkenberry (in memory of Joan P. Faulkenberry), Rock Hill
Tony Lee, Rock Hill
Edith Blessing, Tega Cay
Doris Bennett, York
Earlene Massey, Rock Hill
Carol Martin, Rock Hill
Reesa McCrorey, Rock Hill
Tamara & Dale Hennessey, Fort Mill
Anonymous donor, Fort Lawn
Susan Smith, Rock Hill
Sara Kay Lynes, Rock Hill
Mathilde Pester, Rock Hill
Gordon & Jane Shull, Rock Hill
David & Elizabeth Morton, Rock Hill
Margaret McCarter, Rock Hill
Earl & Flicka Gault, Rock Hill
This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 6:26 PM with the headline "York County fire departments pitch in to help Holiday Partners toy drive."