Fire departments in Port Angeles and Sequim collected an array of donations this Christmas season.
In Port Angeles, the Port Angeles Fire Department reported collecting a total of 7,116 pounds of nonperishable food and $1,274 in money donations for the 32nd annual Operation Candy Cane from Dec. 3-8.
Volunteers and paid firefighters traveled with Santa Claus each evening on Sparky, a 1956 Seagrave fire engine, decorated in holiday lights.
The food collected was about half of the record total from several years back — more than 13,000 pounds in 2011 — partly because of rain and snow on the evenings the firetrucks drove through the streets.
In Sequim, Santa’s Toy and Food Fire Brigade collected about 1,200 pounds of food and $600 for the Sequim Food Bank.
The brigade — a partnership among Clallam County Fire District No. 3, Explorer Post 1003 and IAFF Local 2933 — collected donations Dec. 6-8.
Dozens of toys also were collected for Sequim Community Aid to give out for its Toys for Sequim Kids this week at the Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road.
Volunteers rode through Sequim’s streets at night in an antique firetruck with Santa Claus playing festive music.
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Olympic Peninsula News Group is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum.
