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DOWAGIAC — The Cass County Toys for Tots program is in full swing, and Dowagiac businesses are doing their part to make sure children across the county have a merry Christmas.

Honor Credit Union presented the Dowagiac Fire Department, 302 Wolf St., Dowagiac, with a $1,000 check Monday to kick off the local Toys for Tots Drive. The program, which provides Christmas assistance to area families, is supported by several local businesses, organizations and public entities, including HCU. With HCU’s donation, the fire department will be able to purchase $1,000-worth of toys with money that will stay locally in Cass County.

“A $1,000 donation for Toys for Tots is absolutely huge,”  said DFD Chief Anthony Stewart.

The fire department will be hosting its annual Toys For Tots Drive and Breakfast with Santa from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday at the fire department, where firefighters will be collecting donations of new or unwrapped toys for Cass County Toys for Tots and offering pancakes and sausage.

“It’s been a pretty pretty big success,” Stewart said. “Interacting with the community is our main goal. Without this event, children might not have toys under the Christmas tree this holiday season. It’s very important that we get the word out there and bring people in for breakfast and get these kids some toys.”

For Stewart, his favorite aspect of the breakfast is seeing the children interact with Santa.

“That is definitely the best part of it,” he said. “Last year, we actually brought in the Grinch. Seeing Santa Claus and the Grinch interact for the kids was really a cool experience.”