Honoring First Responders -- Our Heroes

Each year, the club hosts three cookouts for our local first responders, who are community heroes. During COVID, the club necessarily changed the lunches from full service/banquet style meals to pick up lunches, which greatly decreased club members' interaction with our first responders. This year, the committee improved the events significantly by sending an emailed invitation to the first responders being honored, expanding the menu with homemade sides and fresh vegetables, assigning members specific duties that enhanced interaction with our first responder guests. In October, we hosted a cookout for all law enforcement officers and support staff. Attending were 90 officers and staff from City Police and County Sheriff's departments and 25 members of the club. Our BBQ team grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, and committee members provided fresh buns and fixings, homemade side dishes, and freshly made desserts. Our members joined officers at the tables and enjoyed sharing the meal, getting to know them and expressing admiration and appreciation.  In February, the expanded/improved heroes' lunch for first responder linemen was held at Camp Pineywoods for 45 participants with 15 members assisting. In March, 90 fire fighters and emergency service heroes were hosted for lunch at their facility with 20 members participating.