Community helps after flood destroys N.H. fire dept. toy drive

The Dover Professional Firefighters Association is asking the community to help replenish their supply of gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

Just some of the nearly 300 gifts a local car dealership donated to the Dover Fire Toy Bank. Photo Courtesy of McGovern Subaru

A New Hampshire fire department was stockpiling gifts to give away during the holiday season when a flood damaged their entire inventory. Now, they are asking for donations from the public to help restock their supply.

The Dover Toy Bank gives gifts to over 100 local families in need every holiday season, according to a statement from the Dover firefighters union. However, the Dover Professional Firefighters Association said their plans for this December came to a halt when a water main broke on Aug 4., drenching their toy supply in six inches of water. WCVB-TV reported the Toy Bank lost an estimated $40,000 worth of gifts.

“For the first time in over 40 years, we are starting the season off with no supplies to help children and families in need this holiday season,” the statement said.

The union is leaning on the community to help replenish their stockpile, the statement said. Some local businesses even stepped in to help. McGovern Subaru and Portsmouth Toyota teamed up to donate more than 300 toys on Thursday, according to McGovern Subaru Love Promise Coordinator Ashley Lewis.

“Everyone was really excited to help,” Lewis said. “Being able to do something like that, being able to give back to the community, is amazing. It’s something we love to do.”

Lewis said the toy delivery –which totaled nearly $3,000– led to some “very thankful” firefighters.

“We tried to get as much as we possibly could, because they lost everything they’ve been saving up for the whole year,” she said.

The firefighters union asks for new, unwrapped toys and games for children ages newborn to 12, as well as financial donations.