Grovedale Santa Run ready to spread Christmas Eve cheer

SANTA will again make the trip down to Geelong for the Grovedale Fire Brigade Santa Run on Christmas Eve this year.

Santa Claus in partnership with CFA Grovedale has asked the local fire brigade to assist him with delivering lolly bags to the children of Grovedale, Marshall, Charlemont, Ashbury and Mount Duneed.

The annual Santa Run is a favourite not only amongst the people of Grovedale and surrounding suburbs, but it’s also a day the local CFA volunteers mark on their own calendar according to brigade community safety coordinator Rebecca Frost.

“The whole brigade loves it,” Ms Frost said.

“It’s a day that has to have the support of the entire team because we have to organise a bunch of things beforehand like getting the stops ready and getting signs put out to let the kids know where to meet Santa.

“We’ll also have our 15 members on the three appliances during the run, who just love getting out and about with the community and doing something nice with them.”

Ms Frost added that the community has always been a big advocate for supporting the brigade and hopes that this event is just one way the CFA can give back to the community.

The run will commence next to CFA Grovedale’s headquarters at Grovedale Recreation Reserve at approximately 2.30pm, before heading off locations such as Marshall Reserve, Charlemont Rise, Ashbury Estate Park and several spots in Mount Duneed before finishing at Bunjils Nest Playground at the corner of Sovereign Drive and Unity Drive.

The anticipation for this year’s Santa Run is turning out to be bigger than ever before.

Two years ago, CFA Grovedale was handing out approximately 500 lolly bags to kids who attended the event.

This year, Ms Frost has already had to order 750 bags, as well as extra lollies just in case the bags run out.

“It’s all about bringing a little bit of cheer just before Christmas and Grovedale CFA has been doing it for more than 35 years,” she added.

“It’s a tradition the community loves being a part of and it’s a tradition we will continue to take pride in producing each year.”

Each year, the community centre at Armstrong Creek donates $500 to CFA Grovedale to help purchase the sweets.

In 2021, the brigade has employed the help of local sweets seller The Sweets Lab to put together the 750 bags for the kids, taking a big weight off the shoulders of CFA Grovedale.

For full details such as times and locations head to CFA Grovedale’s Facebook page for more information.