By Matt Nanci
Reading Eagle
EXETER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Fire trucks descended upon Boscov’s in Exeter Township Thursday night, but not because there was an emergency.
And instead of firefighters stepping out of the trucks, there were children.
Twenty-one kids between the ages of five and 12 were chosen to participate in the Exeter Township Fire Department’s third annual “Shop with a Firefighter” event.
From there, the children went inside the store and reunited with their families as they awaited Santa Claus.
Each child was then paired with a firefighter and got a picture taken with Santa, courtesy of Northstar United Methodist Church.
Then the fun began.
The kids received a $100 gift card donated by Boscov’s and started to roam the store to do some holiday shopping with their firefighters.
The toy section proved to be very popular.
“That’s what’s always on my Christmas list - helicopters,” Josue Cedeno, 9, said as he eyed a remote-controlled helicopter on the shelf.
But he resisted and set his sights a little higher. Instead, he picked out a drone.
“It looks like fun,” remarked Captain Gill Morissette. He added that he might have to ask his own kids to get him one for Christmas.
Josue’s younger brother Jeremias, 7, was also picked for the event and together, they collaborated to pick up gifts for the rest of their family as well.
Between all of the children and their firefighter partners, there are probably hundreds of exchanges like that one. Several of the kids took charge and knew exactly where to go and what they needed to get.
Josue called it “pretty crazy” and “awesome” that he and his brother were picked, but shopping wasn’t even his favorite part.
“The best part was being in the fire truck,” Josue said.
Morissette has participated in Shop With a Firefighter every year and said he always enjoys it.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “It gives an opportunity for children to not only call us heroes, but to help them out with Christmas joy.”
The fire department reached out to Exeter’s schools for the names of kids who could use a brighter holiday season.
After the kids finished shopping, they ate dinner with their families in the store’s break room while the gifts they bought are wrapped.
The food was donated by local businesses.
“It’s our way of giving a little something back to the community and to the children,” said Fire Chief Robert Jordan.
He expressed gratitude for Boscov’s and the other businesses that help make Shop with a Firefighter possible.
The firefighters always look forward to the event as well, according to Jordan. About 35 firefighters came out Thursday night.
“I think the firefighters get as much out of it as the kids,” added Jana Wanser, a support staff member of the fire department, “if not more.”
Jordan also credited Alyssa Weidner, another member of the department’s support staff, for the event’s success. She was responsible for organizing it and loved doing it.
“I love working with kids and being around them and just to see the joy,” Weidner said.
Copyright 2016 the Reading Eagle