For the 57th year, the Calgary Firefighter Toy Association (CFTA) held its annual toy event recently at the Telus Convention Centre, spreading joy to thousands of children in need across the city. Hundreds of firefighters and volunteers came together to make the event a success, welcoming over 4,000 guests and distributing more than 3,000 gifts to kids in the community. The event has a rich history dating back to 1967, but its origins can be traced even further to World War II.

In addition to gifts for the children, the event also featured enjoyable activities, such as face painting. Kids selected their favourite candies to decorate their gingerbread houses. The highlight for most of the children was receiving their presents and meeting Santa, with many already knowing what they wished for this Christmas.

The tradition began in 1945 when Howard Williams, a firefighter at Calgary’s old #3 Fire Station in east Calgary, started fixing up old toys for children who were facing a tough Christmas. What began as a small idea quickly grew into a remarkable success story. Over the next few years, the toy reconditioning project expanded to include all fire halls in Calgary. Firefighters dedicated long hours to sorting through toys, stripping paint, removing rust, fixing squeaks, and repainting the various types of donated toys.

In 1967, an ambitious new plan was proposed to host the largest Christmas party in Canada, which was presented to the firefighter membership. A meeting with the Stampede Board soon secured the “Corral” for the Sunday before Christmas. A significant amount of money was needed, and Calgary firefighters stepped up with personal donations and a payday lottery within the department, which continues to fund the majority of the Toy Association’s Christmas Party to this day.

It is the hard work of numerous firefighters and community volunteers who unite to spread holiday cheer to children that makes this event possible.