Spreading holiday cheer to first responders on Christmas Day
HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — On Friday, 28/22 news brought you the story of the Jewish community coming together at the Sidney and Pauline Friedman Jewish Community Center (JCC.)
On Monday, customized We Respond gift bags for first responders across Luzerne County were distributed as a way to say thanks and happy holidays.
28/22 News Reporter Amelia Sack stopped by the luzerne county 911 Center to give us a better look.
“No one wants to be away from their families on holidays, especially Christmas day but to see people like this come and give us recognition and know we’re doing our part to help the community, it means a lot,” said Luzerne County 911 Supervisor Ryan Kane.
On Friday, multiple Jewish congregations from across Luzerne County came together at the JCC in Kingston to assemble gift bags to be given out to first responders on Christmas.
Luzerne County 911 was just one of the stops on the group’s list.
They arrived late Monday morning at the Hanover Township center filled with employees, some working 16-hour days away from their families and friends.
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“So I came in at 7:30 a.m., I’ll be here until 11:00 p.m. at night,” Kane explained.
“We’re public servants so we miss holidays, birthdays, a lot of social functions we miss, you know?” 911 Dispatcher Bill Tomoliatis explained.
Dispatchers at the center say they’re grateful to be recognized this holiday season.
“As dispatchers, we are often heard but we’re never seen. You hear the voice but you don’t see the face. So it’s a tremendous honor,” Tomoliatis added.
Officials at the 911 center say the gesture means a lot to their staff.
“They really are the heroes in the darkness. They don’t really get a lot of thanks in this job. They’re talking to people in their worst moments,” Luzerne County 911 Deputy Director Bill Ives said.
The group from the JCC also made stops at the Hanover Township Police and Fire Department, as well as multiple other fire, EMS, and police stations across Luzerne County.
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