Area first responders and their families are invited to attend the First Responder’s Christmas Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the S&S High School auditorium (200 S. Main in Sadler).
Anyone who serves as a firefighter, police officer, dispatcher, EMT, lineman, ambulance driver or in the sheriff’s office is to be celebrated at this annual holiday event.
Presented by Sadler Community Center and SS CISD, this event will include light refreshments, holiday music and pictures with Santa. (Be sure to bring your camera.)
For years, the Sadler Community Center held a community holiday parade. However, the center’s board president Thomas McDonald wondered if there was a way to reach people beyond the Sadler community.
McDonald’s wife has been struggling with health issues for the past several years. After undergoing an organ transplant, she experienced some complications. As a result, first responders were called to the McDonald house several times.
“The Whitesboro ambulance crew saved her life,” he said.
McDonald wanted to find a way to show first responders how much they mean to the community.
This experience gave him the idea of replacing the annual parade with a holiday event for the community to show their appreciation to first responders.
“The parade was great, but it really only touched people in Sadler,” McDonald said. “By holding this event, people of Sadler can participate and, at the same time, be part of something bigger.”
The board agreed, and last year was the inaugural year for the celebration. The event is free to attend.
So far, McDonald has reached out to local hospitals to invite first responders and their families to attend.
In addition to spreading the word about the event, the greatest need now is for volunteers to help everything run smoothly that Saturday.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, please call Thomas McDonald at 940-391-6153.