Firemen Come to the Rescue -- For Thanksgiving

On Monday, about a dozen Hamden firefighters rushed to the Senior Center and the Keefe Center -- not to put out a fire, but to spread some holiday cheer.

The holiday is Thanksgiving and the cheer came in the form of turkeys, stuffing, cranberry sauce and everything else required to create the perfect dinner.

The firefighters delivered 40 turkeys and dozens of bags of groceries to go along with them to the Senior Center, where workers there immediately began setting up bags for seniors to pick up Monday and Tuesday.

They also brought six turkeys to Christ Lutheran Church on Shepard Avenue, and another 30 to the Hamden Food Bank at the Keefe Community Center on Pine Street.

The Hamden Professional Firefighters union bought the turkeys, according to Lt. Jeff Pechmann. Parishioners at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in the West Woods area of town collected the groceries, he said.

The firefighters, along with the Hamden Retired Firefighters Association and parishioners from St. Joan of Arc and  St. Stephan's Catholic Church, donated funds that purchased $250 in Stop and Shop gift cards that were donated to the Senior Center and $245 in gift cards that went to the Hamden Food Bank.

"We want to help out the community," Pechmann said. "We know this really helps out during the holidays and helps many get through a holiday they can't afford."

"The way the economy is, we have gotten more calls this year than in the past" requesting help, said Patti Heyer, who works at the Senior Center.