Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • December 18, 2013 Upper Saddle River Firefighters transform rescue boat into Santa’s sleigh Can you picture Santa Claus pulling up to your house on a life size sleigh towed by fire truck with lights and sirens on and play- ing Christmas carols to deliver gifts to your loved ones? The service is part of the Upper Saddle River Volunteer Fire Department’s “Project Santa,” a fundraising initiative available to Upper Saddle River residents only. For a $40 donation per family, Santa will deliver the family’s gifts on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 4-8 p.m. Santa’s sleigh is no ordinary means of transportation. Under the direction of fire captain and former chief Erik Vierheilig, a team of firefighters spent more than 20 hours transforming the department’s rescue boat, Marine 12, into Santa’s sleigh. Pulling the new “chariot” is the department’s newly converted rescue truck, Rescue 1242. “In the past, we would put Santa on top of the fire truck. This proved to be difficult for him to get on and off,” said Vierheilig of the decision to provide Santa with a more comfortable vehicle. “Many residents were impressed by the result and appreciative that the fire department goes above and beyond for the residents of our town,” he added. Fire Chief John Schianchi, firefight- ers Robert Hyman and Greg Andrew and Junior Fire Brigade member Greg Pink, along with Vierheilig, designed, con- structed, painted and decorated the impres- sive sleigh over the last couple of months and immediately turned it over for Santa’s use. The new vehicle participated in Wal- Pictured in front of Santa’s sleigh, from left: Firefighters Greg Andrew and Robert Hyman, and Captain Erik Vierheilig. lington’s famed fire department holiday parade and the Ramsey “Home for the Hol- idays” parade, and Santa arrived in style for the Upper Saddle River tree lighting and Goetschius house holiday event. Residents wishing to participate must drop off a small, wrapped gift (must fit in a normal sized grocery store paper bag) and a check made payable to the “USRFD” on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and Thursday, Dec. 19 from 5-8 p.m. to the firehouse, 375 West Saddle River Road, Upper Saddle River (one gift per person, please.) A delivery schedule will be e-mailed prior to the deliv- ery date. The proceeds from “Project Santa” will be shared equally by the USRFD 9/11 Mon- ument fund and the Tomorrows Children’s Fund at Hackensack University Medical Center. For questions, please call 201-327- 0285 or e-mail projectsanta@usrfd.org. A signup form may be downloaded from the department’s website. Just click on “Down- loads” on the left menu bar and select the Project Santa file.