Benicia Fire Department received more than 20 bicycles Thursday from Benicia Fabrication, a local company that is one of several businesses that have been supporting the drive, said Jason Fein, an engineer at Station 11, where the bikes arrived.

The fire department has been collecting toys and other gifts to benefit the less fortunate in Benicia this holiday season since Nov. 28, Fein said.

And local companies have been responding to the department’s call for help, Fein said.

“Benicia Fabrication, Rookies Bar and Grill, Cytosport and several others have been exceptional supporters of our toy drive,” he said.

The fire department’s drive is recognized as an affiliate of the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program, Fein said.

Firefighters will be collecting through Dec. 23.

“Our efforts are geared to supporting local nonprofit efforts like the Benicia Community Action Council, the Solano AIDS Coalition, as well as the Family Resource Center,” Fein said.

“After meeting those needs, we work to assist drives occurring in Vallejo, Fairfield and Contra Costa County.”
Toys for this year’s drive can be dropped off at Fire Station 11, 150 Military West; Fire Station 12, 601 Hastings Drive; or at Rookies Sports Bar and Grill, 321 First St.

Fein said only new, unwrapped toys can be accepted. Those who want to donate cash or monetary gifts may do so at www.toysfortots.org.

Meanwhile Benicia Fire Department delivered the 20 new bicycles to the Benicia Community Action Council on Thursday, Executive Director Viola Robertson said.

“We’re going to have some happy kids!”

Benicia’s Rotary Club has been donating gift cards so the nonprofit can provide gifts to other children, and local clubs and individuals have been good about giving food and gifts this year, though cash gifts have been slow so far, Robertson said.

Friday is the last day donors can give to the CAC’s Christmas drive. The office, 480 Military East, will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. formally, “although I’m always here after,” Robertson said.

The Solano Association of Realtors, especially its Foundation Board of Trustees, also has been helping, said Jeannie Hamann, board president.

More than 400 are members of the century-old association that represents Realtors in South Solano County. For the past 20 years, the association has been gathering toys and gift cards for children and older residents of both Benicia and Vallejo, Hamann said.

Recently the Toys-R-Us in Vallejo opened at 7 a.m. so association members and their affiliates could choose toys for all age groups before other shoppers arrived, she said. They picked out more than 200 gifts for those younger than 13.

Older children are being given Target gift cards, and families in need are given Safeway gift cards, Hamann said.

She said the foundation was formed to help families that are experiencing hardship, as well as senior programs and other tax-exempt organizations that provide community help.

Among those the foundation supports, Hamann said, are local school projects, Loma Vista Farms, Fighting Back, Foster Greatness, St. Vincent de Paul, Global Center, Youth and Family Services, Helping Hands Project, New Hope for the Homeless and Christian Help Center.