The Mineola Fire Department began its Operation Santa program this month. Engine companies all over the village ride through the streets, bringing Santa and elves to visit children and spread holiday cheer throughout Mineola.
Every year for 41 years, the department has organized events, phone calls, and brought Santa and his elves around the village to visit children.
Gary Mazur, a former Fire Chief and current Warden of Engine Company 3, has been involved since the very beginning. “We started it because there was a little girl who couldn’t come out of her house, because she was in a wheelchair,” he said.
The Fire Department brought Santa to visit her, then the next year came back to visit her and another child on the same block. From there, it grew into a tradition.
“That first girl really sticks in my mind,” said Mazur. She passed away from her illness soon after their second visit. “I always remember that, and how we were able to go see her.”
All Mineola residents are invited to request a visit from Santa. Families, civic clubs, and businesses call the Santa Hotline, and Mazur organizes engine companies to travel throughout the town to visit as many people as possible.
“It doesn’t happen because of me, it happens because of the guys that go out night after night, dressed in costumes, as well as our Junior fire department,” said Mazur, who holds the title “Scheduling Elf” on the program’s webpage.
The Mineola Junior Fire Department is a program that allows 14 to 17-year-olds to participate in Fire Department activities, learning the basics of firefighting and preparing for a potential career in the department. Participants in the program play a huge role in the logistics of Operation Santa, Mazur said.
The department is still accepting scheduling calls and looks forward to spreading more joy and gifts to the kids of Mineola this winter. “Christmas time, and all the holidays, are all about the kids. Making them happy, trying to keep a smile on their face,” said Mazur.
