Whitehorse firefighters have stepped up to manage the annual Share the Spirit drive to help families at Christmas time.

Firefighter Nicholas O’Carroll explained in an interview Tuesday the Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society saw the article in the Star a couple of weeks ago about how Share the Spirit needed assistance.

The society saw it as a natural fit.

The discussion lasted all of about five minutes, O’Carroll said.

“To be honest, our charitable society is just being developed, and here is a chance to get into an organization that is already built up,” he said. “But by far, the biggest factor was the opportunity to help out our community, that is the biggest factor.”

The Kin Club has been managing Share the Spirit for about 15 years, providing more than 200 families and 400 children with the essentials to enjoy Christmas every year.

Club members, however, announced earlier this month they were no longer able to handle the annual food and toy drive because two of their four core members were leaving the territory.

Club member Karen Shannon said she is absolutely elated to have the Whitehorse firefighters volunteer to take over.

“I can’t imagine to have a better qualified group,” Shannon said Tuesday.

She spoke as she was preparing to hit the road this morning for her new home in Creston, B.C.

“I have every faith they are just going to do good things for the community with this program.”

Shannon said she and the other members of the Kin Club will still be available to provide advice and guidance to make sure the transfer goes smoothly.

Share the Spirit is supported by cash donations and sponsors, whether they be individuals or local businesses.

The cash donations are used primarily to purchase food to ensure families have what they need for a typical turkey dinner. Sponsors are matched with families to purchase presents for the children.

In the past, the Kin Club has organized anywhere from 30 to 50 volunteers to put together the parcels of food and presents for delivery a week before Christmas.

O’Carroll said it’s going to be a learning curve, but they’ll get it done.

“Obviously, we are transitioning this year, and there will be a few speed bumps, but nothing that will stop it from happening.”

He said they’ve already began sending out notices to potential sponsors and donors using records from previous years.

They’ll also be meeting with the local social agencies to identify families who could use the assistance, he said.

The Kin Club has been using the old Whitehorse Public Library as its staging area for the past four or five years, but the location is unavailable this year.

O’Carroll said they’ve heard from a couple of businesses which might have some space, but if anybody does have a space they might be able to free up for Dec. 17, “we would be extremely pleased to have it.”

The drop-off of presents and such is scheduled for Dec. 15 and 16, and the 17th is the day volunteers will gather to put the parcels together for delivery, he said.

O’Carroll said cash donations can be dropped off anytime at the Sport Yukon building where there is a drop box for the Kin Club.

Donations can also be mailed to Post Office Box 31228, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2B2, with cheques made out to the Whitehorse Firefighters Association.