Page 15 - Graypvine March 2022

Firefighters Toy Drive western Kentucky and other nearby states in late
Each year, the Lexington Firefighters collect 2021. Team members who donated were given $20
brand new gifts and give them to underprivileged gift cards, but one team member decided to do
children in the community. Parents can then wrap something else with his gift card, and inspired others
the gifts so their children will have a present come to do the same.
Christmas morning. “Ken Donnelly came out of the blood mobile and
“I feel it’s important to give every holiday season, handed his gift card to me,” said Maria Turner, Training
but this one in particular,” said Abby Reynolds, & Team Member Experiences Specialist who organized
Human Resources Analyst. “Since COVID has the blood drive. “He asked to donate it to people
impacted a lot of families financially, I feel extremely involved in the storms in western Kentucky, and then
fortunate to have a job that has sustained over the other team members kept handing them to me.”
pandemic. It is important to share the gifts we have
with others who are in need, especially our children. The Pay It Forward Team
Being a mom there is no greater joy in the world than The Pay It Forward Team collected monetary
seeing your child light up with a brand new toy or donations to purchase Christmas presents for a family 15
stuffed animal for Christmas. I am very thankful we impacted by a tornado in Dawson Springs, Kentucky.
have organizations like the Lexington Firefighters who Alyssa Butler, her fiancé and her two daughters, ages
work to make every child’s Christmas a little brighter.” 5 and 7, lost their home on Saturday, December 11th.
The PIF Forward Team jumped into action to try and
Blood Drive help make Christmas a little brighter for this family.
The Kentucky Blood Center’s blood mobile was The group collected $2,200, and Wesley and Lindsey
parked outside of the Lexington Office for a few days Perkins and David and Tressie Hird worked together
in December, and a large number of team members to purchase four large totes of Christmas presents for
took time out of their busy workdays to donate blood. the two little girls.
While blood donations are always needed, they The family was very grateful for all the help received,
have been especially necessary during the ongoing and they are slowly beginning to move forward from
pandemic and after tornadoes devastated areas of the devastation.

Lindsey Griggs is shown donating blood, while Lachelle Parks rests after her donation in the Kentucky Blood Center's blood mobile parked outside of the Lexington office.

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