(Photo: WBOC)DOVER, Del.- The Dover Fire Department is always answering calls to keep the community safe. But when the holidays roll around, the department turns its red trucks into sleighs of sorts, handing out thousands of candy canes to children as part of Operation Santa.
"They all look forward to it, they go to all of the parades, they go to everything, so it's definitely something they look forward to," Laurie Golon said.
But this year, that holiday tradition might not happen due to funding issues.
"There's lots of kids around here who are less fortunate and that's something they look forward to," Golon said.
"That's a pretty sad story, I mean the city should really do something and help out," Jared Johnson said.
Funding is not the only issue facing the Dover Fire Department. It makes more than 1,000 service calls each year, but with volunteer numbers dwindling it is hard to get enough people to come out and volunteer the week before Christmas.
"There's going to be a lot of disappointment with the kids, because that was something nice that they were doing for them," Tynita Bailey said.
Instead of Operation Santa, the fire department will be holding Santa Meet and Greets at the fire station in Dover on Dec. 15 and 22 from noon to 4 p.m.
