OCALA, FL (352today.com) – For emergency personnel, Thanksgiving Day is often one they spend away from their families, taking care of those who need them in our community instead. The Professional Fire Fighters of Marion County (PFFMC) has provided turkeys for their brothers and sisters on duty Thanksgiving Day with an initiative they’ve dubbed the “Worky Turkey.”
The tradition started three years ago, according to a news release from Joe Romani, the media relations contact for the PFFMC. It is coordinated by the leadership of PFFMC to show appreciation for its 535 members in Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR). In the beginning, it was done to reward the crews who report for duty on the holiday that “demands a lot from families.” Now, Romani says, it is done as a sign of good hope to make Thanksgiving a “little less stressful for those responding to emergencies.”
The turkeys were delivered Wednesday, Nov. 22, by 10 members and some of their families. Off-duty PFFMC members coordinated the deliveries to cover all of the stations in Marion County. Turkeys are precooked and thawed, making it as easy as possible for those sacrificing their time with family to serve our community.