Fill the Boot starts Friday
Fill the Boot, the annual charitable effort of Conway Firefighters Local 4016, has expanded to more locations this year, and Santa will be on hand for photo opportunities.
Billie Carter of Conway Firefighters Local 4016 said this is the 12th anniversary of Fill the Boot, which attempts to provide a joyful Christmas for the needy in Faulkner County. Last year, Carter said, Fill the Boot served more than 1,000 children from more than 240 families throughout the county. Each child receives shoes, pants, a shirt, a toy and dental supplies, and each family receives a food box. Since Fill the Boot started in 1998, it has raised $206,000 and helped more than 7,000 children and their families, Carter said.
Firefighters will be stationed at several shopping destinations holding out boots in which passers-by can drop their spare change. Collection dates will be 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 5 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 12. Collection locations in Conway will be Conway Commons, Conway Towne Center, Kroger on Salem Road and Hastings. Also, Vilonia volunteer firefighters will be at Highway 64 and Highway 107, and Liberty volunteer firefighters will be at the Eight-Mile Store.
“In 2004, we went countywide, and all the volunteer firemen started helping,” Carter said. “It’s just a natural transition” to add more collection sites, he said. He added he hopes in the future to have collection sites in Mayflower and Greenbrier.
Santa will also make appearances in conjunction with Fill the Boot this year. On Friday and Saturday, Santa will be at the Conway Towne Centre. On Dec. 5, he will be with Vilonia firefighters, and on Dec. 12, Santa will be at Kroger on Salem with a fire truck. Children may have their photos made with Santa.
Also on Dec. 12, Santa will be at the Edward Jones office on Bob Courtway Drive (Suite 109). Edward Jones is holding an open house from 10 a.m. to noon and has a boot for donations.
Anyone interested in donating to Fill the Boot but unable to make it to the shopping destinations during the collection times may donate at one of about 55 businesses throughout the county that will have boots. Most banks as well as a number of restaurants in Conway will have boots, Carter said. Donations of toys may be made at Salon Cortilo on Washington Avenue near Donaghey Avenue. Businesses wanting a boot may call Salon Cortilo at 329-9400 and ask for Tim. To mail a donation, send it to Fill the Boot, P.O. Box 2367, Conway, AR 72033.
Last year was a record year for Fill the Boot at just over $36,000, Carter said. Before last year, the record was just under $31,000.
Carter noted he anticipates it will be difficult this year to meet all the need, given the state of the economy.
“We just do a lot of praying and crossing our fingers to raise enough to meet the need, and we’ve been blessed to meet it every year,” he said. “If it wasn’t for the generosity of the citizens of Faulkner County, this wouldn’t happen. Faulkner County is probably the most giving community in the country. In the world, probably. It doesn’t matter for what. They step up in time of need, and they’re the true reason these numbers are what they are.”
(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
