Dec 11, 2010 Update
(original post: Nov 11, 2010)
Give a San Francisco firefighter ten bucks to sit on Santa's lap, then have an all-American lunch. What a deal!
Some time back I was critical of Lefty O'Doul's, the famous restaurant and bar on Geary across from the St. Francis Hotel at Union Square. I said the place served mid-1950's food.
Well, that may be true, but mid-1950's traditional American food is very popular with thousands of people who visit San Francisco. I'm a picky old San Francisco phusion phreak. What do I know.
Santa John Toomey
Santa John Toomey, a San Francisco Santa Claus for the past 20 years, just got a PR boost courtesy of a dim-wit manager at Macy's who fired Santa.
Yes, just like the famous old film, Miracle on 34th Street, a not-very-bright mid-level manager at Macy's fired Santa Claus for no defensible reason. Like Yogi Bera so brilliantly said, "it's deja vu all over again".
See more photos of Santa John and read what the San Francisco Chronicle is saying about him: Santa John Toomey Appears in Union Square
If Macy's has not fired the idiot who fired Santa Claus, then the CEO needs to explain his company's actions to the stockholders, because the City is FULL of people today who are pissed-off at Macy's and are walking right on by their store today -- right at the peak of the Christmas shopping season.
Lefty O'Doul's
Everybody head on over to Lefty O'Doul's. . They're at 333 Geary Street (that's pronounced "Geery" by the way) and you can call them at .
Lunch at Lefty O'Doul's. Plan now: Give the Firefighters a ten-dollar bill and sit on Santa's lap. Have a hearty lunch at Lefty's and then stroll over to Union Square after eating to enjoy the holiday tree and maybe do some holiday ice skating.
About the SFFD Firefighter's Toy Program
The San Francisco Firefighter's Toy Program began in 1949 with some SFFD Firefighters repairing discarded toys in order to give them to 15 poor children of the City. Today, the tradition still carries on - bigger than ever - with firefighters, retired firefighters, their families and friends, working and donating time, money and toys toward making every child's Christmas a happy one.
The SFFD Toy Program is the city’s largest and the nation’s oldest program of its kind
Today more than 300 firefighters and friends volunteering their time to distribute over 200,000 toys to more than 40,000 disadvantaged children. Besides helping individual families in need, the Toy Program serves many community organizations, including shelters for abused women and children, inner-city schools, neighborhood groups, children’s cancer wards, and pediatric AIDS units. The program also responds on a year round basis to displaced children who become victims of fires, floods and other such disasters.
Dependent solely on donations, the Toy Program places collection barrels at retail establishments, street fairs, Christmas parties and many other functions.
Invite a San Francisco Firefighter to your Holiday Party –
The holiday season is a time when friends gather to celebrate and offer a bit of Yuletide cheer. Many have made it a tradition to invite The San Francisco Firefighter's Toy Program to their parties. Everyone on the guest list will be encouraged to bring a gift or monetary donation in support of the Toy Program and San Francisco Firefighters (on their own time as volunteers) will be on hand to accept them and talk to the guests.
Place a collection barrel at your place of business -
Call the Firefighter's Toy Program. They will bring a toy collection barrel to your holiday business event or party, and SFFD Firefighters (on their own time) will show up to accept your donations! To arrange a toy barrel for your event or business please call .
To send a few dollars, send it to: SF Firefighter's Toy Program, , San Francisco, CA 94104 (that's the Firefighters Union office and every dollar gets to the program).
To bring a toy: ANY San Francisco Firehouse. You will find a Link to a directory of firehouses below.
Toys must be BRAND NEW (never used) and NOT GIFT WRAPPED. Gifts for teenagers, particularly teenage girls, are needed most.
Resources:
List of Fire stations where you can drop-off toys
San Francisco Black Firefighters Assn Youth Academy
San Francisco Firefighters Safety in Education Program
FLAME Youth Athletic Program
FLAME Youth Fishing Program
San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program
San Francisco Fire Department Reserve
NERT - SFFD Neighborhood Emergency Response Team
BLAZE - Fire Camp for Young Women
Everybody head on over to Lefty O'Doul's. . They're at 333 Geary Street (that's pronounced "Geery" by the way) and you can call them at .
Lunch at Lefty O'Doul's. Plan now: Give the Firefighters a ten-dollar bill and sit on Santa's lap. Have a hearty lunch at Lefty's and then stroll over to Union Square after eating to enjoy the holiday tree and maybe do some holiday ice skating.
About the SFFD Firefighter's Toy Program
The San Francisco Firefighter's Toy Program began in 1949 with some SFFD Firefighters repairing discarded toys in order to give them to 15 poor children of the City. Today, the tradition still carries on - bigger than ever - with firefighters, retired firefighters, their families and friends, working and donating time, money and toys toward making every child's Christmas a happy one.
The SFFD Toy Program is the city’s largest and the nation’s oldest program of its kind
Today more than 300 firefighters and friends volunteering their time to distribute over 200,000 toys to more than 40,000 disadvantaged children. Besides helping individual families in need, the Toy Program serves many community organizations, including shelters for abused women and children, inner-city schools, neighborhood groups, children’s cancer wards, and pediatric AIDS units. The program also responds on a year round basis to displaced children who become victims of fires, floods and other such disasters.
Dependent solely on donations, the Toy Program places collection barrels at retail establishments, street fairs, Christmas parties and many other functions.
Invite a San Francisco Firefighter to your Holiday Party –
The holiday season is a time when friends gather to celebrate and offer a bit of Yuletide cheer. Many have made it a tradition to invite The San Francisco Firefighter's Toy Program to their parties. Everyone on the guest list will be encouraged to bring a gift or monetary donation in support of the Toy Program and San Francisco Firefighters (on their own time as volunteers) will be on hand to accept them and talk to the guests.
Call the Firefighter's Toy Program. They will bring a toy collection barrel to your holiday business event or party, and SFFD Firefighters (on their own time) will show up to accept your donations! To arrange a toy barrel for your event or business please call .
To send a few dollars, send it to: SF Firefighter's Toy Program, , San Francisco, CA 94104 (that's the Firefighters Union office and every dollar gets to the program).
To bring a toy: ANY San Francisco Firehouse. You will find a Link to a directory of firehouses below.
Toys must be BRAND NEW (never used) and NOT GIFT WRAPPED. Gifts for teenagers, particularly teenage girls, are needed most.
Resources:
List of Fire stations where you can drop-off toys
San Francisco Black Firefighters Assn Youth Academy
San Francisco Firefighters Safety in Education Program
FLAME Youth Athletic Program
FLAME Youth Fishing Program
San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program
San Francisco Fire Department Reserve
NERT - SFFD Neighborhood Emergency Response Team
BLAZE - Fire Camp for Young Women
1 comments:
Thorough and inspiring article. The SF Firefighter Toy Program is an amazing organization, and I applaud their efforts. They make it so easy to drop gifts by any Firehouse in the city, and I proudly donate each year.
Most of us picture a young child (age 12 and under) and therefore select a toy, stuffed animal, game, book, etc to donate. This is great.
However, please note that TEEN GIRLS are often forgotten during these annual toy drives, and sadly, often end up with nothing to choose from. Teen kids age 13-17 would cherish an age-appropriate present this holiday season.
Consider donating a gift/present appropriate for a teen girl such as a book, gift card, CD, stationary w/stamps, sport or art supplies as well as sporty and/or fashionable hair, accessories & makeup items.
In the hopes of gathering more presents for kids, I'm hosting a special UNIFORM PARTY & TOY DRIVE on Saturday, November 20th in downtown San Francisco. Please join us! (21+ only)
DETAILS: http://www.facebook.com/ClothingSwapDiva#!/event.php?eid=133531190036107
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