Staff reports
The Burton Fire District’s annual community Santa visits have started and will continue until every street in Burton’s service area has been visited.
With the exception of 2020 due to COVID, the Burton Fire District has been bringing Santa Claus around to every street in the Burton community for more than three decades. Each year, Burton firefighters escort Santa in a fire truck procession to meet area families and children. With each family he sees standing outside, he stops to listen to Christmas wish lists, pose for photos, and leaves a holiday treat.
This is a much-anticipated event each year for firefighters and the community, and for some families it has been a tradition each year to pose with Burton firefighters and Santa.
“We are now seeing the children, and some grandchildren, of those we met years ago, and to watch a family grow like that is really something special for firefighters,” Burton Fire Chief Harry Rountree said in a news release.
On school nights, Monday through Thursday, Santa will be out from 6 to 8 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, he’ll visit from 6 until 9 p.m. Each day, Burton will post the schedule of streets they plan to visit that evening on their Facebook page, along with any updates. Any streets that are missed due to emergency responses or weather will be made up until every street has been visited.
“Throughout the year, unfortunately, we meet some of our families on their worst day, so this is the time of year we can bring something good and positive, and help increase their holiday spirit,” said Chief Rountree.
