INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Thanksgiving will be a little more festive for hundreds of Indian River County residents due to the efforts of Indian River County Fire Rescue through the Big Heart Brigade and support from area businesses. Volunteers spent two days cooking 224 turkeys for the holiday.
“It’s going good so far,” said organizer Steve Graul, a lieutenant with Fire Rescue, stationed at No. 12 in Gifford.
More than two dozen volunteers gathered Tuesday to prep the turkeys for their stint in the 112-turkey capacity cooker behind the county’s Emergency Operations Center. By Wednesday morning, they began taking out the last of the 224 turkeys they plan to deliver to various community service organizations.
“I’m extremely proud of them,” said Emergency Services Director John King of the members of Fire Rescue and volunteers. “People have a lot of needs this time of year.”
King noted that Fire Rescue is not only involved with the Big Heart Brigade, but also gives back to the community through the annual Firefighters Chili Cook-off, participation in Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Indian River County Firefighters Fair.
“All these efforts support the community,” King said.
This year’s sponsors for the Big Heart Brigade Thanksgiving Day program include Indian River Medical Center and Vero Beach Firefighters Association, which provided funds to pay for the turkeys, Ken Gregory Produce, which provided a refrigerated truck to deliver the turkeys, and Amerigas, which kept the massive cooker going.
“We can’t do this without them,” Graul said of the businesses, volunteers and individuals who made donations to the annual effort.
The Source, Operation Hope, RCMA, Whispering Pines Habitat for Humanity neighborhood, The Salvation Army, the Gifford Soup Kitchen and Hibiscus Children’s Center will receive several turkeys to dish up to the needy.
Some turkeys will be reserved for deliveries to emergency personnel – at fire stations and dispatch centers.
Last year, the Big Heart Brigade of the Treasure Coast’s Indian River County branch delivered 208 turkeys. This year the number went up – which it has been since its start several years ago, when Indian River County volunteers delivered 25 birds.
“With the down economy, we have more needy families,” Graul said.
Along with the turkeys, the volunteers will be dropping off canned and boxed goods to add to the traditional Thanksgiving dinners.
The Exchange Club held a food drive to contribute to the cause, according to Graul.
Cans of green beans and cranberry sauce along with boxes of instant potatoes and packets of gravy will be served up alongside the turkey.
It might not be a feast, but “you see the faces on the families – they’re grateful,” Graul said.