
Greta Stuckey – syracuse.com
Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse firefighter David Corbett Jr. was at The Oncenter on Tuesday morning, setting up gifts for families ahead of the Christmas Bureau giveaway, a tradition he has upheld for the past 12 years.
The day before the giveaway is a whirlwind of organizing gifts to ensure everything is ready for hundreds of families. In the past, volunteers had to work 12-hour days to fill aisles and sort toys, Corbett said.
This year, however, Corbett said volunteers got a lot of the work done early so they could use the last day to tidy gift aisles and organize food for the event.
Earlier this year, Corbett’s dedication was recognized with the Mayor’s Achievement Award as part of the fire department’s commendations awards ceremony.
Corbett downplayed the recognition, saying his contributions are only a small fraction of all that gets done for the giveaway.
Each year, the Salvation Army of Syracuse works with dozens of community partners to provide Christmas food and toys to nearly 10,000 people. When families arrive, they receive toys for each child, books, stuffed animals, stocking stuffers and a bag of food.
This year, United Way of Central New York collected around 6,000 new books for children and families, United Way Chief Community Officer Katie Hanlon said.
The organization has books of all genres and reading levels for kids to choose from. Hanlon has been doing the giveaway for the past five years and enjoys seeing kids’ reading interest shift over time. She said it’s always her favorite day of the year.
- Santa Claus Rescued From Side of 13-Story Building During CT Holiday Event
- ‘I Got My Christmas Back’: Dallas Firefighters Install Christmas Display for Man Fighting Cancer
- Sheriff Looking for Grinch Who Stole the Top Off ME Fire Department’s Christmas Tree
Corbett said his favorite part of volunteering is witnessing the connections between volunteers and families. He shared a story about Union 280 President Michael Pariti, who, for three consecutive years, has been paired with the same family by chance.
“It’s two people who would never know each other, and they’re meeting here,” Corbett said. “A family is in need, and one person is here to serve. Little things like that make the whole thing worth it.”
Corbett said he sometimes recognizes families from emergency calls he has responded to. While they may not remember him, he often recalls their faces and knows that some have lost everything in a fire.
Seeing every child walk out of the building with a toy in hand is what the giveaway is all about, Corbett said.
On Wednesday, Corbett will help hand out toys and pair families with volunteers. His three children are also taking off from school to help volunteer.
Doors open at 8:30 a.m., and families can shop from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Families must register and meet income eligibility requirements to participate.
Staff writer Greta Stuckey covers breaking news. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at gstuckey@syracuse.com.
©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit syracuse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.