ORLANDO, Fla. – Everyone here in Central Florida is thankful for the work first responders do to keep us safe but come this time of year, we like to show them a little extra love.
This week, officers from law enforcement agencies celebrated Thanksgiving with the help of those they protect and serve.
[RELATED: From cleaning up spills to earning Girl Scout badges, Orlando-area first responders do it all | Central Florida first responders recognized for going beyond call of duty]
Officers with the Kissimmee Police Department served up turkey and all the fixings at the second annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Boys & Girls Club. With pie, macaroni and cheese, bread, salad and more you better bet that no one walked away with an empty stomach.
The fire fighters at Orange County Fire Rescue Station 41 were also eating good last week, even before Thanksgiving. They were treated to a special meal from Chuy’s of rice, beans and tacos as part of the Adopt a Fire Station program, which kicked off late last month. How much do you want to bet that the guac wasn’t extra?
You can’t have dinner without dessert. While it wasn’t Thanksgiving pie, Orlando Police Department officers still got a holiday treat. Second grade students at Monarch Learning Academy emptied out their Halloween candy stashes to give to officers as a thank you for keeping them safe while they went trick-or-treating.
Speaking of sweet, this picture from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office might be the most adorable thing we’ve ever seen. When Addison was stung by a wasp during a University of Central Florida football game, Deputy Sheriff Kirk Prendergast was kind enough to help her so she could get back to rooting for the home team. Before the regular season ended, little Addison -- decked out in her Knights cheerleading uniform -- wanted a picture with the deputy who saved her. Can I get a C-U-T-E?
You’ve got to work off all that food somehow and there’s no better way than tossing the old pigskin. Members of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office command team faced off against other members of the agency for the 7th Annual Thanksgiving Day “Turkey Bowl” Flag Football Game. Sheriff Wayne Ivey got in on the fun and switched teams this year to play alongside the Stargazers, which beat the Allstars 26-22.
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.