NATCHEZ — The Natchez Fire Department will hold a fundraiser Friday in the hopes of helping as many boys and girls as possible to wake up Christmas morning with toys under the tree.

The department’s “boot drive” will raise money for Toys for Tots, a program that aims to provide toys for local families in need.

The firefighters will be located at the corner of Main and Martin Luther King Jr. streets to collect money in their fire boots.

All money filling the big shoes will go toward the purchase of toys for children in the program.

Those seeking to join Toys for Tots may pick up applications at the Natchez Fire Department from 9 to 11 a.m. this week. Applications are due Friday. Children 10 years old and younger are eligible for the program. In order to adequately serve the community, officials with the department said, individuals that have applied to organizations with similar programs would be ineligible to apply for Toys for Tots.

Once an application is completed, applicants will be contacted via phone with a pickup time and date.

For additional information about the program, call 601-442-3684 between the hours of 9 and 11 a.m.