Florida Rescue Worker Comes to Aid of School Supplies Drive
Four years ago, a partnership began between the school district and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue for collecting school supplies for children in need.
Four years ago, Traci Moore helped Sheri Siegal, a volunteer coordinator for the school district, start a partnership with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue for collecting school supplies for children in need.
When Siegal needed a place for people to drop off pencils, paper and backpacks, Moore suggested using the fire-rescue stations as drop-off points.
Moore, a firefighter/paramedic for the county, has since become invaluable to the annual drive. "She's great," Siegal said. "I couldn't do it without her."
Moore, 36, makes the rounds of the fire stations every year to collect the donated supplies. She also helps sort them and deliver them to schools.
This year's drive starts in mid-July and lasts through Aug. 31. Donations can be dropped off at any county fire-rescue station.
"I like to be able to give kids who aren't able to get things on their own the stuff they need to blend in with all the other kids," said Moore, who lives in the Greenacres area.
Although the drives have been successful, Moore said they want to do more. They're trying to spread the word about the drive.
"I think advertising is our biggest problem," Moore said. "If we could get the word out more, we could get more stuff for the kids."
Moore learned the true meaning of helping others when she was a single mom with a 2-year-old daughter and a 6-month-old son.
"It was so hard when I was trying to raise them... to get the necessities that they needed," she said.
Now, son Adam is 15 and daughter Tiffany is 16. And Moore has a job she loves.
"I'm able to share, and I do," she said.
She started doing volunteer work while working at her assigned fire station at the corner of Woolbright Road and Military Trail in Boynton Beach. Through the station, she got involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Association two years ago and is a sponsor for a 20-year-old Vero Beach woman with muscular dystrophy.
"I love it," she said. "I'm always picking her up. We've taken her to Hard Rock (Cafe). We go on the boat. She goes to firefighter functions with me like a picnic. I take her to the office. She has fun.
"Her mother is a single mother, too, so I like to help as much as possible."
Moore became a firefighter about six years ago. Before that, she was a medical technician in the emergency room at Delray Medical Center. After 10 years on the job, the paramedics she met inspired her to make a change. She dropped out of nursing school to become a firefighter and paramedic.
"I like the physical part," she said. "I like to be involved in the first 10 minutes; that's when you can help somebody. Once they get to the hospital, all they want to do is eat."
For information on the school supplies drive, call the school district at (561) 434-8771.
What's the best advice you've ever been given?
"Pick your battles properly. Make sure it's worthwhile."
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?
"My dog (Jerry), my son and my daughter."
What's your favorite movie?
Coyote Ugly.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?
Ellen DeGeneres. "She's awesome. She's funny, and she does things to help people. She also seems to enjoy herself."
Have an interesting neighbor you want the community to know about? Call Michelle Mundy at (561) 279-3468.
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