Pictured from left to right are the Moose Lodge’s Andrea Hurteau, Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Brendan Keough, Tiger Whitelaw of Sonic Boom, Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Tim Woodruff, John Warchol of Sonic Boom, Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Tom Tucker, Moose Lodge’s Nancy Hurteau and the Moose Lodge treasurer. (Provided photo)

SARANAC LAKE — Saranac Lake rock band Sonic Boom teamed up with the Saranac Lake Moose Club to hold its 8th annual Kissmas Toy/Food Drive fundraiser rock show on Dec. 3 at the Moose Club.

“Once again, the event was met with great success, due to the hard work of the band, the compassion and generosity of the Moose Club, numerous local businesses and the general public,” event organizers said in a news release.

Since 2015, Sonic Boom has organized the event. Attendees are asked to bring unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items as admission to the show. Each year, large amounts of food and toys have been donated by concert-goers, along with cash donations, which are distributed to local families and organizations. This year, the band raised nearly $7,000 in cash donations. The Moose Club not only hosted the event, but made a cash donation of $2,500 for the cause.

The toys and food were distributed to Families First and the cash donations were distributed to Mitch Willette of Bloomingdale, a local Vietnam War veteran who is battling cancer and who lost his home and all of his belongings in a fire this month, and the Saranac Lake, Bloomingdale and Paul Smiths-Gabriels volunteer fire departments. The fire departments each received checks for $1,000 and Willette received $3,680. The band prefers to focus on local people and organizations in need.

The first two years of the Kissmas fundraiser were held at the Waterhole, when it was under the ownership of local businessman Billy Allen. Since 2017, the event has been held at Bitters and Bones, Romanos and Raquette River Brewing Company in Tupper Lake.