Santa enjoys Marine escort on FEC Christmas Train

JoLinda Brown reported to Historic City News that, at 8:10 a.m. tomorrow morning, the St Augustine Fire Department will be meeting Santa Claus as he rides into St Augustine aboard the Florida East Coast Railway’s Christmas Train to contribute our local donations to the US Marine Corps Reserve “Toys for Tots” program.

Brown said that the Toys for Tots Program sends a message of hope to those less fortunate children by giving them presents during the Christmas holiday to help bring them joy and happiness.

“Representatives of the US Marine Corps will be on hand to receive the donated toys,” Brown told local news reporters. “Fire trucks from the St Augustine Fire Department will meet the Christmas Train and turn over all of the toys donated from the community.”

By the end of business today, Friday, December 13, bring new, unwrapped gifts to the St Augustine Main Fire Station located at 101 Malaga Street, and you can still be part of this great holiday giving tradition.

Historic City News editor, Michael Gold, has been told that Santa will be on-board the Christmas Train. Local children are welcome to come out to meet the train at the San Sebastian View railroad crossing — just west of the intersection of San Sebastian View and US-1 north.

“Thanks to the generous, annual contribution by the Florida East Coast Railway, eight Florida cities along the east coast of the state will receive a contribution of toys donated by families, like yours,” Gold said. “It is only through the tireless support of our local firefighters and the selfless contributions of toys from our community that the recipients of these gifts get to enjoy the thrill of finding a special surprise waiting for them on Christmas morning.”