The program began eight years ago at Nicholasville Fire Station No. 1 and helped 20 families and about 100 children. Last year, the program helped more than 500 families and 800 children.
Cox said he expects to help about 900 families this year.
“We outgrew the fire stations very quickly,” Cox said. “The toy store is set up at the gym at East Middle. When it is initially set up, it takes the entire gym floor.”
Firefighters will be at Sam’s Club and Walmart Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to collect new, unwrapped toys or to accept monetary donations, Cox said.
“Make a check out to the Nicholasville Fire Department Toy Drive,” he said.
Registration procedures will be a little different this year, Cox said. Instead of calling the fire department’s administrative number, interested participants are asked to call the toy drive line at 859-553-0437.
“If they call the fire department’s number, they’ll be redirected to the toy drive number,” Cox said. “There will be no registrations taken through the administrative number.”
The phone line will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, beginning Nov. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The last day to register is Dec. 9.
Cox said the phone line does not have call waiting or an answering machine.
“If you get a busy signal, you’ll simply have to call back,” he said.
Anyone wishing to donate money can send checks to the Nicholasville Firefighter Toy Drive, 1022 S. Main St., Nicholasville, 40356, or call the fire department at 885-5505 for more information. Also, donations can be dropped off at any fire station within Jessamine County.
The Nicholasville Firefighters Toy Drive will be held on Dec. 18 at the new East Jessamine Middle School gymnasium.
