NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – While most of the Northeast Wisconsin community is celebrating the holidays, first responders stay on shift to make sure the celebrations are safe.
One local effort aims to show appreciation to first responders and the work they do for the community.
Midwest Restoration and the Victim Crisis Response Team banded together to support first responders working the holidays. (WLUK)
Firefighter Josh Blum with Neenah/Menasha Station 32 said, “It’s awesome. It’s definitely nice having a free meal on Christmas and getting to celebrate at the station, because we do leave our families. It’s nice to have a good meal.”
Blum says he and other Neenah-Menasha firefighters work 24 hour shifts, and on Christmas Eve, they stay at the station until the following morning.
Midwest Restoration and the Victim Crisis Response Team banded together to support first responders working the holidays.
They delivered warm meals and cookie cakes to fire stations across the Fox Valley on Tuesday morning.
“Whether it’s Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, birthdays, holidays, fire departments essentially know no holidays,” said Midwest Restoration CEO Coyne Borree. “So, we would like to bring a little cheer to them.”
Sheryl Dingman with the Fox Cities Victim Crisis Response Team told FOX 11 it’s all about giving back to those who keep the community safe.
“Being able to give back to the community that does so much for us, too,” she said. “Really understanding that these first responders go from call to call without any break. It’s just a way of giving back and letting them know how much we appreciate them.”
Dingman says that 55 volunteers loaded up their cars and delivered food on Christmas Eve. “They come from all walks, so we have teachers we have counselors, we have retired people. Their sense is, they want to give back to the community that has also helped them.”
The deliveries to fire stations also included handwritten letters expressing gratitude for all the work the teams do.
This is the tenth year that the community has delivered food to first responders, and they say they hope it continues for years to come.
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