Customers of Dollar Bank donating 'Firehouse Fluffies'
A lot of customers at Dollar Bank in Point Plaza in Butler Township have been bringing stuffed animals with them when they show up to do their banking.
In just three weeks their donations have filled more than four garbage bags with stuffed critters that will eventually be distributed to Butler County emergency responders to give to children following the trauma of a fire, accident or other emergency.
“Our customers have been great donating stuffed animals,” said Eric Will, branch manager.
The “Firehouse Fluffies” program was started by Helping Butler County in mid-March.
“They supply the stuffed animals to all the fire departments. If there’s a fire, they have a stuffed animal for the kids,” Will said. “A lot of people are getting behind it. I just think it’s a great idea.”
He said he learned of the program from the United Way of Butler County, now part of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. After contacting the United Way, he was put in touch with Scott Dittman, who runs Helping Butler County.
“Dollar Bank has been great,” Dittman said.
On Friday, he said Girl Scout Troop 26404 agreed to take over gathering and distributing the stuffed animals and coordinating and promoting the program.
“Right now, the tentative plan is that we’re going to provide at least two dozen stuffed animals to every fire department and/or EMS in the county,” Dittman said. “It will require almost 2,000 stuffed animals to cover the whole county.”
He said stuffed animals must be new to be donated.
No deadline has been set for making donations.
Fire departments will be asked to contact Helping Butler County to get more stuffed animals when their supplies run low.
“It will be an ongoing effort. We’re not going to turn anyone down,” Dittman said. “They will be distributed when we get enough.”
He said other businesses collecting donations are listed on Helping Butler County’s Facebook page.
