Photos by T. Heinssen.

Yesterday morning and early afternoon were a hive of activity at the Old Lyme Firehouse on Lyme Street. Members of the Old Lyme Fire and Police Departments  responded with vigor to the Fire Chief’s Holiday  Toy and Food Drive Challenge.

With boots in hand for monetary donations, men and women of both departments also collected donations of food and toys from traffic traveling up and down Lyme Street.

There was a cheery elf (right in photo above) out at work and one lucky worker found himself the temporary guardian of  an oversized teddy bear.

Old Lyme First Selectman Bonnie Reemsnyder (above, right) came out to assist the drive …

… as did these willing youngsters who loaded their toy donations into the waiting truck themselves.

At the end of the drive, approximately 350 pounds of food, 250 toys and twelve hundred and fifty dollars in donations had been collected.

Reemsyder paid tribute to the fire and police department’s joint efforts saying, “Great results.  Thanks to everyone who worked so hard … particularly the well-dressed elf!”

We’ll echo her words and say heartily — and with many thanks, “Congratulations on a job well done!”