Lights, sirens and Santa

Camano Island Fire and Rescue recently decorated their engine and raced to the neighborhoods on west Camano, distributing treats and small gifts in their annual Santa Run.

Levon Yengoyan, assistant chief of Camano Island Fire and Rescue, pointed out that service doesn’t always need to be in response to an emergency.

“This is a very special time of year,” Yengoyan said, “and we hope to make it a little brighter for everyone.”

Robert Boyd, who coordinated the event, said the department enjoys the run.

“Getting out into the community and seeing the excitement on the kids’ faces is the main reason we do this,” he said.

Apparently, the community loves it, too.

“The response was overwhelming, and we had a great time visiting with kids and parents alike,” Boyd said.

The Stanwood-Camano Honor Guard started a new holiday tradition this year, sponsoring a toy drive for families in need.

The honor guard placed over 30 collection boxes around Stanwood and Camano Island. Thanks to the generous response from the community and business, they were able to collect toys and gifts for many families, which will be distributed through Camano Chapel, Yengoyan said.

“We wanted … to make sure it was a special day for all the kids,” Honor guard member Bobby Guadamuz said. “We couldn’t have done it without everyone’s generosity.”

Yengoyan is proud of the firefighters’ contribution to the holiday season.

“We feel very strongly for our community and are always looking for ways to help serve it,” he said.

Staff Reporter Jeremiah O’Hagan: 629-8066 ext. 125 or ohagan@scnews. com.