Thursday, October 1, 2026
79 ° Clear
79 ° Clear
It’s that time of year again – to stuff the police car, pack the fire truck or fill the ambulance --with toys and children’s gifts for the holidays at the annual Lower Moreland Township Battle of the Badges.
This year, the event takes place on December 6 from 11 am to 2 pm at the Huntingdon Valley Fire Company at 636 Red Lion Road in Huntingdon Valley. Donated toys are accepted for children and youth of all ages; however, all toys should be new and unwrapped.
The event is sponsored by Lower Moreland Township Police Benevolent Association as a friendly competition to earn bragging rights for the township’s police or fire company that can fill its vehicles with the most toys donated by families, neighbors, businesses and friends of Lower Moreland, Bryn Athyn and nearby communities.
This event is special as Huntingdon Valley Fire Company and Bryn Athyn Fire Company continue their transition toward a unified department under the new name Fetters Mill Fire Rescue. This marks the first official appearance of Fetters Mill Fire Rescue as these two companies continue with the merger of the two historic departments.
“What we will do is we’ll open up the big doors at the fire house and park the vehicles in there,” explained Detective Jamie Samuels of the Lower Moreland Township Police Department. “In the past, we've had a police car, ambulance and a fire truck. We have a little competition between the different departments to see who can get the most toys. But it’s all for a good cause,” she said. The Battle of the Badges started about five years ago and hundreds of toys are donated every year, she noted. “It's a great, great cause, especially for the holidays,” she said.
Detective Samuels, who is also one of the police department’s school resource officers, coordinates the event with Lieutenant Julia Huttick and Greta Hopkins, an administrative clerk and evidence custodian, with the township’s police department. In addition, Fire Captain Kate Valesky, from the Huntingdon Valley Fire Company/FMFR and Deputy Chief of EMS Fred Ellinger, Jr., from the Bryn Athyn Fire Company/FMFR are also involved in the coordination of the event.
“Usually, the kids come in or families come into the fire station and they'll pick whichever vehicle they want to donate the toys to. And once we collect all of the donations, a police car and sometimes it will be a fire truck or it might be an ambulance that's filled with toys, then goes and delivers the toys to whoever we're donating them to. In the past we donated the toys to Toys for Tots. This year, the toys are going to be donated to Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.”
Santa Claus also makes a special visit at this fun-filled family event. Children can write letters to Santa and get photos taken with the jolly ole elf. “You can take your picture with Santa. We have a room set up with crafts and refreshments, cookies, hot chocolate and coffee for the adults. We also have a face painter and balloon artist which the township is sponsoring this year,” Detective Samuels said.
Although the departments “compete” to collect the most toys each year, in the end, everyone wins. “It's always a good time when the kids come in, they're super excited to see Santa, and to get their face painted and have cookies and drink our hot chocolate,” she said. “We post on Facebook pictures of all the toys packed into our vehicles with many of the police, fire and the first responders. It's just our way of giving back to the community and enjoying our time with our residents.”
The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, the first-time recipient of the Lower Moreland Battle of the Badges Toy Drive, is the county’s largest department which provides services to ensure the health, safety and well-being of county residents including children and families, and adults of all ages through its program offices including that which supports children and youth.
For more information on the event or to donate a new, unwrapped toy, visit Lower Moreland Township’s website at lowermoreland.org or the Lower Moreland Township Police Department Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LowerMorelandTwpPD/.
