Post 283 Auxiliary members presented a grocery gift card to Fire Station 69 firefighters to help pay for the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.
Photo: Jeremy Wells
The Ronald Reagan Post 283 Auxiliary presented the two local fire stations with grocery gift cards to help pay for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner.
Many residents may not realize that firefighters must pay for their own meals while on duty at their station.
“While many of us are celebrating Thanksgiving with family, our firefighters are on call,” said Joanna Curtis past auxiliary president. “And then I learned not only are they on call, but they have to pay for their own meals. It just didn’t seem fair that they work on holidays, and then have to foot the bill on top of it.”
Ever thankful for the services of the firefighters at Station 23 and Station 69 in Pacific Palisades, this is the third year that the Auxiliary has donated a grocery card to each station to help pay for the holiday dinner. The cards were presented at the stations on November 17.
“We chose the gift cards to express our gratitude to our local fire fighters and paramedics for their dedication and service to the community and to thank them for all that they do for us,” said Auxiliary President Ruth Kahn.
As you celebrate this holiday, Auxiliary members ask you to remember those who are working at various jobs, and those who are on duty, and give them special thanks.
Firefighters do have advice for residents for the November holiday, “don’t deep fry your turkey in the house.”
Auxiliary members were also told, “We have many patio fires because of deep frying.”
When receiving the grocery card, Captain Mike McIndoe said, “This will be great for Thanksgiving, especially with the prices now. Your support is much appreciated.”
There are three shifts at each station, and the B-Shift will be working on Thanksgiving Day. Captain Kitahata and Captain Bordofsky will be at Station 69.
McIndoe said “We do get a little homesick when we have to work on the holidays, but we usually have family stop by for a bit.
“We work with each other for so much of our lives that we really are a family at the station,” McIndoe said.
He recommended checking smoke alarms for proper function and replacing batteries if needed.
Also, with December rapidly approaching, “Remember to water your Christmas trees,” the firefighters said.
Post 283 Auxiliary members visited Fire Station 23 to present a grocery gift card.
Photo: Jeremy Wells