How first responders connect with Central Florida community

ORLANDO, Fla. – Law enforcement officers and other first responders across Central Florida are going beyond the call of duty each week, and our team at News 6 loves to share the ways they're getting results in their communities.

Whether it is to crime victims and their families, animals in need or even each other, our first responders are always lending a helping hand.

Children got the chance to stuff their baskets with eggs and meet the Easter Bunny at the Orlando Fire Department's egg hunt Saturday. With a strong turnout and smiling kids and firefighters, pictures posted by the Fire Department show it was a successful spring event.

The Easter Bunny also made a visit to Kissimmee to hang out with the folks in the Oaks Community. Officers with the Kissimmee Police Department posted pictures of the holiday event on Twitter, showing a big crowd, lots of smiles and plenty of fun as children waited to fill their baskets and meet the beloved bunny.

In St. Cloud, a momma duck was relieved to have her crew back together after her ducklings fell into a storm drain. Officers with the St. Cloud Police Department, with the help of an off-duty animal control officer, rescued the ducklings and reunited them with their mother. Pictures posted on the department's Facebook page show the family waddling away after the intense rescue.

Officers with the Altamonte Springs Police Department's Community-Oriented Police Services unit got word that a longtime resident and widow was having trouble mowing her lawn with a gas mower, so they worked a little magic to make life easier for her. The officers teamed up with Lowe's to surprise her with anew electric lawn mower. After seeing how happy she was about the gift, the officers challenged others to carry out random acts of kindness.

You could say Harbor House's annual Paws for Peace Walk was a success. In addition to News 6 team members, Orlando Police, Orange County Sheriff John Mina and his dog, Jax, walked with members of the Central Florida community to raise money for the kennel at the shelter so that abuse survivors have somewhere to bring their pets when they leave dangerous situations. In total, they raised more than $62,000 this year. Way to go!

For more on these feel-good stories and to see other stories that highlight the good news in Central Florida, watch News 6 at Nine on Wednesdays, starting at 9 a.m.