Christmas will be brighter for some Carson City youngsters, thanks to the efforts of the Salvation Army and local firefighters who played Santa's helpers Thursday morning.
Carson City firefighters went shopping at Kmart, where they wrote a check from the Firefighters Association fund for $5,148 in gifts for needy children chosen by Salvation Army officials.
"We just went down the aisles and let the toys fall in" the baskets, firefighter Bryon Hunt said.
Association President Bob Schreihans said the gift project is conducted annually through the Everyone Loves a Fire Fighter -- or ELFF -- program.
"The Salvation Army provides us with a list of what the kids wish for, and we go in there and get Hot Wheels and different toys along with some clothing and shoes," Schreihans said.
Many of the gifts were action figures and games from the "Scooby Doo" movies and television cartoon.
The Salvation Army will distribute the gifts next week.
To help pay for the gifts, the firefighters' group will hold a raffle at noon Saturday at Carson Jeep, 3390 S. Carson St., Schreihans said.
He said the association's gift drive this year will also benefit the Salvation Army Toys for Joys and he Marine Corps Reserve's Toys For Tots.