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Ogden House residents were treated to a Thanksgiving meal provided and served by members of the Wilton Fire Department. For Betty Johnson and other residents, the lunch was about more than just celebrating the holidays.
"You get to see people you don't see too often," Johnson said as 60 senior citizens filed into the cafeteria at Ogden House last week.
One of the people Johnson spent time with was Sister Mary Jane Card, who had cooked the lunches when she was a volunteer with Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church. But this year, she left the cooking to Edward Raposa and other church volunteers as she relaxed and enjoyed herself. "It is wonderful," Card said.
The firefighters have been serving lunch at Ogden House since 1985, and they dish up a traditional Thanksgiving meal with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and more. The firefighters don't just serve the lunch and leave. They also grab plates and join their hosts, who have come to know some of the firefighters on a first-name basis.
"Even though we are firefighters, we are a part of the community," Lt. Michael Michelsen said. He said the fire department is often called to the senior living facility when the residents need emergency care, so they enjoy going there for good times as well.
There was no charge for the lunch, but the many of the seniors who came donated money or toys to the Fire Department's Toys for Tots Collection.
"We are very fortunate to have the [fire] department we have," Johnson, 88, said as she ate her lunch.
Did you do any community service to celebrate the giving spirit of the holidays?
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