- December 4, 2025
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‘Twas the night of Winter Garden Fire Rescue’s Santa Run when all through the station, firefighters were stirring, even the chief.
They almost were finished with preparations with much relief.
The lights were glistening, and the sleigh was ready to fly.
Children anxiously waited in their driveways with hopes of seeing Santa come by.
As the clock struck 6, Santa and his helpers were on the way.
Winter Garden’s Amelia Mackey and her 2- and 5-year-old sons had been waiting for the special day.
In matching pajamas, they jumped for joy as they saw Santa in his sleigh make his way down the street during another Santa Run tradition.
Santa and the fire department, once again, had accomplished their mission.
Children and their families were filled with holiday cheer.
Winter Garden Fire Rescue is bringing back the annual Santa Run Monday, Dec. 8, with hopes of another successful year.
For decades, Winter Garden Fire Rescue and the Ocoee Fire Department have been bringing joy to their communities by inviting Santa to ride in his sleigh while Christmas music is blasting and his helpers are tossing candy to children.
Participating in Operation Santa has been a tradition for Ocoee Deputy Chief Shawn Sorenson since his rookie year as a firefighter in 1999. He recalled a citizen coming to the station asking for help getting Santa to visit a home in Cross Creek of Ocoee.
Sorenson and his fellow firefighters, ready to serve their community in any way they could, was able to get St. Nick to visit the family and neighbors.
It sparked an idea.
What if Mr. Claus could bring merriment and joy to all Ocoee residents in the weeks leading up to Christmas, directly to their neighborhoods?
Thus, Operation Santa began.
Now the department escorts Santa through dozens of neighborhoods in Ocoee across six nights. The Ocoee Police Department also participates by having a toy drive during the parade. As the parade goes through the neighborhoods, Santa’s helpers collect new, unwrapped toys from residents to support the department’s Holiday Toys for Kids in Need program.
“Anything we can do to promote joy in God’s world, that’s what we should do,” Sorenson said. “Some kids aren’t fortunate to have a Christmas that some of us were able to get, so it’s fantastic that we’re able to get toys from the citizens, to give back to the citizens. That’s awesome. That’s God’s love.”
Sorenson recalled a few years ago, when the police department collected a surplus of toys, so the department took the extra toys to distribute in areas of Ocoee. He said a little girl was unsure she could accept the toy he was offering her.
“She was reluctant to grab it, like, ‘What am I supposed to do?’” he said. “I was able to hand it to her, and she just looked at her parents and started crying — just so excited that we didn’t want anything from her. I will never forget what she looked like.”
Winter Garden Fire Rescue also has been parading through its neighborhoods for six nights each year, bringing the magic of Christmas with them. The tradition started at least 22 years ago.
When Matt McGrew joined Winter Garden Fire Rescue in 2006 as a deputy chief, he was handed a binder and given control of the Santa Run. He has been involved ever since, even after he retired five years ago after serving as deputy chief for eight years and then as fire chief for six.
“I come here as deputy chief in Winter Garden thinking I’m going to be taking care of all this fire business and EMS business, and the first thing I get handed is a folder on the Santa Run,” McGrew said with a laugh.
He had heard the parade from a distance at his home but had never experienced it himself. The first time he did, it blew him away. He became so invested, he became one of Santa’s right-hand men.
“When Santa reaches out and asks you to help, that’s a new level of responsibility,” McGrew said. “Everybody (who) does the Santa’s helper role takes it to heart. We want to make sure we’re doing our very best to basically spread the magic of Christmas.”
Both departments have people from the city government, firefighters and police officers volunteer to be Santa’s helpers. The cities also provide funding to help support sleigh repairs and other needs to make the parades happen each year.
Much like elves with special talents, firefighters are able to use their respective skills to make the event go off without a hitch. Winter Garden Fire Chief Jose Gainza said he has firefighters who specialize in lighting and make sure all the lights on the sleigh are shining bright. He has firefighters who have carpentry skills and ensure every detail of the sleigh is just right, working and up to Santa’s standards.
He recalled one year when the sleigh broke down at the end of the Santa Run. The elves were called in and in no time, the sleigh was up and running again so more holiday cheer could be spread the next night.
Gainza said some employees make the Santa Run a tradition for them to kick off their holiday season, just like some residents.
“I’ve heard stories from residents who used to come out and see it when they were kids, and now that they live here as adults and have their own kids, it’s an event they get to do with their kids, so there’s some good history in it,” Gainza said.
While many firefighters’ interaction with the community often will be on the worst day of residents’ lives, Gainza said the Santa Run is an opportunity for them to give residents’ some of their best days.
“You get to see people, bring happiness to people, and it’s just a great feeling,” Gainza said.
For everyone involved, it’s all about the children.
McGrew and Ocoee Parks and Recreation leader Brian Hendrix, who both have served as Kris Kringle’s right-hand men for several years, said seeing families come together brings them joy.
“You see the community come together, and you see four or five families meet in a driveway and have a barbecue,” McGrew said. “You only go by them for 30 seconds, but it was just that evening where they all got together and they came out for one particular thing — to forget about everything else that’s going on and just be a community.”
Hendrix recalled an adult following the sleigh all the day down the sidewalk screaming for Santa because she was so excited.
More wonderful than seeing the community together is seeing children’s faces light up.
They hear the children chanting for Santa and their eyes widen as St. Nick rides by in the sleigh.
“I’ve always been a kid at heart,” Hendrix said. “I’ve always liked being in the parade. This just gives me joy. It makes me feel good inside just to see everybody happy and having a good time.”
Mackey said her family looks forward to the Santa Run every year, marking the night on their calendar as soon as the dates are posted to ensure they don’t miss it.
“I feel like it really sort of helps kick off the holiday season right after the tree lighting that happens the weekend before, it really is such a cool tradition that Winter Garden has,” she said. “It’s such a special moment for my husband and the boys and (me) to be together as a family. It’ll bring excitement and joy and laughter, and it’s just a special time to really get the family into the holiday spirit. I’m just so grateful the city of Winter Garden puts this on for the community.”
For three years, the Mackeys have traveled to the neighborhood next to theirs to ensure they see Santa since the Santa run doesn’t come through their neighborhood.
They dress decked out in Christmas gear and patiently wait for Santa’s arrival. She already has their Grinch pajamas ready to go for this year’s Santa Run.
At first, they see the Winter Garden Police Department with their sirens and lights guiding the way. Then comes the firetruck with more sirens and lights, letting everyone know Santa almost is there.
Finally, the moment has come. Attached to a brush fire truck is a 24-foot trailer turned Santa’s sleigh shining bright with Santa shouting, “Ho, ho ho,” and waving to the dozens of families standing in their driveways.
Mackey said the look on her children’s faces is pure joy.
“There’s no other way to describe it,” she said. “They’re grinning ear to ear, jumping up and down. Of course, the older one is chasing trying to get the candy that’s being thrown off the truck, too.”
In Ocoee, the last night of Operation Santa ends at Marge Johnstone’s house, which is turned into a winter wonderland each year. She decks the halls inside and out, instantly putting people in the Christmas spirit. She also feeds everyone who comes to visit and tour the home.
“It’s a special night,” she said. “To watch people’s faces is incredible. I can’t even explain it. When it’s finished, I’m full at heart.”
