Spark of Love 2010

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With the Christmas season in full swing, Metrolink, along with firefighters across Southern California, have joined forces for the Spark of Love Toy Drive 2010 with their Holiday Toy Express train. This highly successful program provides Christmas toys to needy children and involves fire agencies from Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura counties. Each department in each of those regions are drop-off points for the general public to deliver toys.

Firefighters from Rancho Cucamonga participated this year by making sure Santa was fully stocked with enough toys for his deliveries. Chief Mike Bell with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District explained, "This particular event, Metrolink has been doing this for many years now. Rancho has been a stop for them, as they have provided this train for Santa to come through to the different cities to be part of this event, so many years we have been a part of this. Last year, Rancho was the kick off event, so I think that they liked us so much, that they are just going to keep coming back."

"Every city handles their coordination a little bit differently, but here in Rancho Cucamonga, we have some great community organizations that partner with us, and they help us to find those families that truly have the biggest need. All of our firefighters and some other volunteer groups get together, and we make sure that come Christmas morning, these toys that everyone has brought out tonight so graciously, are under the trees of those needy families in our community," expressed Captain Josh Stapleton, also with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District.

Last year, the Spark of Love Toy Drive delivered over 500,000 toys to children across Southern California. This year, organizers are hoping to double that. Rancho Cucamonga was certainly doing their part in adding to those numbers. According to Captain Stapleton, the fire department usually collects between two and three thousand toys that are distributed to needy families within their community.

"To think that this is going on all throughout Southern California, all of the fire stations throughout the southern part of the state are involved in this with other sponsors, so again, they kind of grew I think. Many years ago, this department was very involved from the very beginning, and we just see it continuing to grow," stated Chief Bell.

The Holiday Express will run through the weekend of December 18th & 19th, while Spark of Love donations will be accepted at fire stations in Southern California up through Christmas Eve, and secure monetary donations can be made online here.