Have you ever thought about the fact that while we are all making memories Thanksgiving day with our families & friends, there are men & women protecting us by patrolling our streets or waiting for the bell to ring at our fire stations? They spend the day away from their families so we can safely be with ours.
While in college, I waited tables at a country club. Easter Sunday lunch is a huge day at probably any country club. We had a tremendous buffet brunch with 200 members on the RSVP list. This was going to require all hands on deck. Not one employee of the country club would be able to request the day off. This was my first Easter Sunday spent away from my family. My first Easter Sunday not attending church. I worked 8 AM-6 PM. It sucked!
The good side of this experience is that it made me acutely aware of who is working so I can enjoy the holiday; so that I can create holiday memories like all the families I watched creating memories that Easter Sunday.
SO, it’s time to give back. Let our police, EMTs, and firefighters know we see them. We know what they did last Thanksgiving. We know what they are doing this Thanksgiving. We truly appreciate the sacrifice of their time away from their families, not making memories. We appreciate them choosing to be in harm’s way for us.
Drop off freshly baked cookies, brownies or a cake. Take healthy veggie sticks on a beautiful platter. Donate bags of chips to their pantry. Make extra of your family’s favorite Thanksgiving recipe for your first responders. Most importantly, make the drop-off a family event, including the dog. And, if you eat out for the holiday, show your waiter appreciation with a generous tip. Seeing their happy/surprised faces
might just be the highlight of your day. Then, post a picture of your drop-off or waiter on our Instagram or
Facebook page. We would love to see those happy faces!
