Christmas surprise given to local kids by the fire department

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A city fire department spent part of their Christmas morning bringing a little Christmas cheer to children living in apartments through the Housing Authority of Bowling Green.

The Bowling Green Fire Department and Toys for Tots are teaming up to bring children toys for Christmas.

Santa and the firefighters drove around delivering presents to local children who may not have a Christmas otherwise.

“There’s still children that need to have smiles on their faces this morning and to know that there is some spark of hope in this world and life and Santa is still here,” said Santa.

A little before 8 on Christmas morning, fire trucks funneled out of the downtown fire station and headed over to a nearby neighborhood.

Firefighters and Santa knocked on doors and delivered trash bags full of presents and some bicycles for little children.

Brennan Elsas, a Bowling Green firefighter, was excited to participate.

“We are going around with Santa Clause and we are handing out all the Toys for Tots that we have been collecting for well over a month now and it’s super special to be a part of to deliver to toys to the kids here in Bowling Green and just see the smiles on their faces as an organization and really as a family because as a crew, we are a family, and it’s something really important to all of us here,” said Elsas.

This was the first year Janel Doyle, the local Toys for Tots coordinator, was able to come.

“It’s Christmas morning and it’s filled with joy and hope and we want to see the kids smile. They look forward to this all year. We look forward to this all year and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Doyle.

One kid came running down the street screaming for Santa. He was so excited he stepped right out of his shoes trying to see Santa.

Elsas almost wasn’t able to come, but made it work because he enjoyed the event last year.

This is an annual event held by the Bowling Green Fire Department to bring joy to kids in the area.