Christmas festivities underway at Sisters Fire District

Volunteers in the greater Sisters area are once again celebrating the holiday season with several activities during the month of December.

The main fire station holiday lights display is back this year. Shift Captain Gary Lovegren rebuilt the displays so the entire community can enjoy them again. The station lights will be turned on after the Sisters Christmas Parade on Saturday, and will be available for drive-by enjoyment throughout the month of December. The light display is accompanied by music each evening from parade day until after Christmas.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire & Ambulance Association is sponsoring the annual “Spirit of Christmas Giving Tree” program to provide Christmas gifts to families in need in Sisters Country this holiday season. The Association expects to serve close to 200 children this year.

Gifts are available to children from newborn to seniors in high school of low-income families who live within the Sisters or Black Butte School Districts. Applications for the program are available to be picked up now at the following locations: Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, Sisters Kiwanis Foodbank, Furry Friends, and the Family Access Network office in Sisters. Applications are due by Friday, December 6, at 5 p.m., in order to receive a gift. Get your applications in early, so your request can be filled.

To donate to the Spirit of Christmas Program, collect a tag with items requested by the families at one of our “Spirit of Christmas Giving Trees,” purchase a new gift listed on the tag, deliver the unwrapped gifts with the tag to the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District as soon as possible, and by no later than December 13. Spirit of Christmas trees are located at Sisters Ray’s Food Place, Sisters Bi-Mart, Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Station, and Black Butte Ranch Police Department. Tags will be available to collect from all locations beginning Wednesday, November 27.

Program leader for the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, Angela Linker, said, “While monetary donations are appreciated, the best way to help fulfill the community needs is to pick a gift tag for a child from one of the trees and purchase specific gifts requested by the families, rather than just donating a non-specific gift.”

The deadline to return your gift donation to the Fire Station is Friday, December 13, at 5 p.m. The gift requests that are not filled by the community will be filled by Fire District volunteer shoppers using donated funds, which means that no qualifying child will be left without a gift.

For folks that would like to participate in the program, but are unable to purchase a specific gift, the Association will also accept cash donations, which are tax deductible and will go toward gift buying. Cash donations can be made at the main fire station at 301 S. Elm St. in Sisters, by mail at PO Box 1509, Sisters, OR, 97759 or online at http://www.sistersfire.com.

Families will pick up their donated gifts via a drive-through event on Saturday, December 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District main station at 301 South Elm Street in Sisters.

On Christmas Day, Fire District staff and volunteers will once again prepare a traditional Christmas dinner which will be served from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Community Hall at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District at 301 S. Elm St. in downtown Sisters. No reservation is necessary, just come join us for a beautiful meal.

The Fire District thanks partnering agencies and community organizations for their support and assistance with making this holiday season special for our Sisters Country families: Sisters Kiwanis, Furry Friends, Black Butte Ranch Police, Toys for Tots, Ray’s Food Place, and Sisters Bi-Mart.

For more information, contact the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District at 541-549-0771.