Every year, SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington makes the holidays a little brighter, extending the cheer of the season to helping others, while fueling their competitive nature.
By Jessica Kirby
The SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington Holiday Party is a highlight of the year. The event brings approximately 160 contractors, guests, affiliates, union members, JATC reps and their guests together for good food, social time, and entertainment, and most importantly, the chance to make a difference in the lives of others.
Since 2012, a key part of the chapter’s holiday party has been a toy drive and fundraising effort for Toy & Joy Makers, a 111-year-old charity founded by firefighters that brings toys to thousands of children in need in the Portland area every year.
The organization was founded in 1914 when Firefighter Eddie Boatright fixed a broken wagon and gave it to a neighborhood kid. The idea caught on, and by 1924 the city’s firefighters decided to organize in the effort to supply toys to the area’s children in need at Christmas. By 1926, that effort was officially recognized as Toy and Joy Makers with the motto “Every child deserves a Christmas.” As a totally volunteer effort, the program has changed over the years from different engine houses repairing different types of toys (bikes at one station, dolls at another, and so on) to the collecting or purchase and distribution of toys to over 12,000 children—a number that has grown exponentially over the years.
When SMACNA was deciding on a charity with which to share holiday cheer, Toy & Joy was an easy choice. “We’ve had an ongoing relationship with Toy & Joy since at least 2012,” says Chris Schneider, executive director at SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington. “Steve Jones, president of R&J Metal Fabricators, has been a long-time champion of this organization.”
Pat McMahon, president of Toy & Joy Makers, has been involved with the organization since 2012, first as the liaison from Portland Fire & Rescue then in 2020 (after retirement) as vice-president. He took on leadership in October 2025 because, he says, “No one else raised their hand.” But just one look at McMahon’s volunteer resume tells a different story—one of a dedicated, long-time volunteer who is committed to helping others.
Besides leading the charge at Toy & Joy, he currently volunteers for Meals on Wheels, is a candy striper at Willamette Falls Hospital, and reads at his grade school in Gladstone.
“I have always felt it is my responsibility to give back to my community, especially because I am able to,” he says. “I became involved in Toy & Joy because I had run a small Christmas event in Gladstone,” and felt inspired.
Toy & Joy has been a worthy challenge for McMahon because of the many moving parts, but also easy because it is supported by a dedicated, fantastic group of volunteers.
“These volunteers show up every day, Monday to Friday, for six weeks to help us prepare and deliver 2,600 toy boxes for families,” McMahon says. “That’s 7,500 children.”
Toy & Joy starts boxing toys for families in the middle of November, finishing up the week before Christmas. Each child gets four to six gifts, so a family of four children receives 16-24 toys and other gifts. “We estimate a value of $225 to $325 for the family,” McMahon says. “Some organizations wait until a week or ten days before Christmas to distribute their donated toys. By that time, we have given out 2,000-2,200 boxes. We save the last weekend for a delivery day, where the Jolly Jeepers deliver 400 family toy boxes to outer southeast Portland families.”
McMahon estimates SMACNA’s donations to total more than $200,000 in cash and $50,000 in toys since it became involved in 2012. “I meet with JoLanna and Chris each October to plan my participation with SMACNA and their Christmas party,” he says. “I am not a fundraiser, but with their help I am.”
A highlight of the event, firefighters show up to the holiday party to collect the toys and thank contractors and their guests for their efforts. “My fire crews battle to be the ones who get to show up at the party and mingle a bit with the members, get photos and hugs,” McMahon says.
The fundraising became such a success, the chapter thought of a way to raise the stakes.
“Our contractors are a competitive bunch,” Schneider says. “They are high achievers and they like to win. At the same time, they are charitable, kind, and love giving back to our community.
“We decided to lean into that competitive nature by creating an award that contractors can display alongside their credentials and other awards,” Schneider says.
Thus, was born the Hardest Working Elf award, an actual elf trophy that gets to stay with the winning contractor for 12 months until the next year’s winner is declared.
In 2025, General Sheet Metal was awarded the Hardest Working Elf Award. In past years, Johnson Air Products has been a big winner and Alliant Systems has taken home the prize.
“The work our members do for Toy & Joy and the competition to give the most to this important charity truly encompasses the spirit of generosity in our industry,” Schneider says.
And then there’s Steve Jones, who Schneider and McMahon both say has led the chapter to become a powerhouse in raising money for this charity. “I walked into Toy & Joy unprepared in 2012,” McMahon says. “My boss gave me the speech job for the SMACNA event. I walked up to the mic and mumbled a few words. Then I met Steve and the rest took care of itself.”
Jones is a master on the mic, challenging guests to out-fundraise themselves, while donating cash and toys himself. “When the pandemic was going on, Steve personally went and bought shopping carts full of toys to bring to the folks at Toy & Joy,” Schneider says. “His company and their employees have always donated, and Steve is best at stoking the competition between other companies to get them to donate more.”
“In 2020, I had a contest with Steve, a firefighter, and another SMACNA member and their children to fill a shopping cart with toys,” McMahon says. “Guess who shopped the most within the time limit? Yep, Steve and his granddaughter. Plus, all had a great time, for a great cause.
“Steve and I are very similar,” McMahon says. “We both absolutely love the Christmas season and all that it means to children.”
Learn more about Toy & Joy and how to donate year-round at toynjoymakers.org ■
