Rutland-Dundee toy drive needs help
In past years when Rutland-Dundee firefighters prepared for their annual Santa Run in December, they expected to drive through crowded neighborhoods in Gilberts and Sleepy Hollow.
They expected those neighborhoods to be filled with residents running from the homes with armloads of toys, food and clothing for needy families.
Because their predictions have always come true, the firefighters and Santa are followed by an ambulance, which holds the toys until they can be sorted for the Community Crisis Center, FISH Food Pantry and Salvation Army.
The generosity, tradition and excitement in the growing communities have always overshadowed the purpose and need for the seasonal charity, said fire Capt. Jeff Meyer, one of the volunteers.
This year may be different.
When the run begins Friday, Dec. 4, the poor economy and high unemployment rate may have more people running to the donated food and toys, instead of running to give them away.
"This may be the worst year I've seen," Meyer said. "There are a lot of empty homes in (the Timber Trails neighborhood). I can only imagine that people have lost them (to foreclosure)."
Timber Trails is in Gilberts. It is one of the neighborhoods that was built within the last 20 years when home-building was booming. Gilberts Glen was another neighborhood, as was Dunhill Estates. All three are reasons why the Northern Kane County village grew so quickly. They also are the reasons why the ambulance filled up so easily during the Santa Run.
"The program started in the 1970s. I came here in 1988. In recent years we'd fill an ambulance a night with all the homes we drove pass," the fire captain said. "The entire run use to take us two nights."
Now it takes six. Firefighters and Santa will begin at 5 p.m. Friday and drive through the Country View Highlands, Lake Tara, Pine Cone Lane, Frontenac, Little Acres and Binnie Road neighborhoods.
On Saturday, Dec. 5, the run will begin at noon and include the Timber Glen and Timber Trails neighborhoods.
On Sunday, Dec. 6, it will resume at 4 p.m. in the Indian Trails, Dunhill Estates, Gilberts Glen and Woodland Meadows neighborhoods.
Five days will pass before it resumes again at 5 p.m. Dec. 11 in Gilberts' Old Town section, Gilberts Town Center and Windmill Meadows. On Dec. 12 it will begin at 3 p.m. in Sleepy Hollow and along the west side of Sleepy Hollow Road. It will conclude at 3 p.m. Dec. 13 in Sleepy Hollow and neighborhoods east of Sleepy Hollow Road.
"Residents always know when we're coming," Meyer said. "Ten minutes before Santa arrives, we have one of our engines drive through the neighborhood with its siren on."
The Rutland-Dundee Firefighters' Association sponsors the Santa Run. For details, call (847) 426-2522.