An annual tradition continued in the Battlefords Wednesday as the EMS Elves from WPD Ambulance stuffed their ambulances full of Christmas toys.
The toys are going to those in need this Christmas and were collected for the Battlefords Empty Stocking Fund.
This year two-and-a-half ambulances were stuffed full of toys, but WPD spokesperson Jason Toovey said a number of toys were being collected the following day as they got some late calls from businesses that wanted to donate.
That should bring the final totals for the 2012 campaign up to three ambulances crammed. Toovey estimates that is about the average amount they collect this time of year.
Bins had been set up at 10 different businesses around the community. As well, the elves have been collecting toys at their own offices from businesses wanting to donate.
The campaign for 2012 culminated at Walmart. After stuffing the last toys for the evening into ambulances just outside the store, the EMS Elves drove the ambulances to the downtown Food Bank offices in a Parade of Lights.
The Elves unloaded the items into a room where the toys piled up quickly. Empty Stocking Fund executive director Bill Hall was impressed.
"The response again from our community is just fantastic when you consider that toys cost a lot of money and people were willing to help out and help in this way," said Hall.
The toys now go out to a list of about 500 kids identified as in need this Christmas. Now the job is to match toys to kids and that was to happen up to the time when the hampers were to be distributed Dec. 23.
Toovey thanked the community for the outpouring of support and noted the response was not surprising, as the Battlefords responds to their effort every year.
"Every single year we have an abundance of toys so that the kids have what they need for Christmas," said Toovey, who adds people who still want to contribute can give can either call WPD Ambulance or the Empty Stocking Fund.
"Every year it totally blows me away that so many people come and give on that last day to make sure that those kids have gifts for Christmas."
The "Cram An Ambulance" effort came on what was a busy day for WPD Ambulance, Their members had to go out to tend to some injuries at a school bus accident south of Battleford in the morning before stuffing ambulances with toys later on. Toovey, though, simply called it "a normal day for us."
