Midday autumn rain failed to put a damper on the festivities Sunday as local heroes gathered at the Echo Park community room for a community-wide tribute to their lifesaving efforts.
Uniformed first responders from the Nassau County Police Department, West Hempstead Fire Department and Lakeview Fire Department joined with Hatzolah volunteer medics and CSS security guards at the event sponsored by Chabad of West Hempstead’s CTeen program.
“The members of the department were in awe over the outpouring of support that we received from Chabad and the community today and we appreciate everything they did for us,” said Michael Koppel, volunteer and former chief of the Lakeview FD.
Chaya Rochel Lieberman of Chabad, who organizes the CTeen program, said the kids wanted to improve on last year’s appreciation effort. “We didn’t want to just bake cookies,” she said, calling on the smaller children in the audience to “write a bajillion thank-you notes” to the heroes. A couple dozen responders paraded into the room for the event as West Hempstead musician Danny Flam serenaded via trumpet. Certificates of appreciation were presented to the department leaders.
“First responders are always on our mind,” Rabbi Yossi Lieberman,spiritual leader of Chabad, told the Echo. “With Thanksgiving in the air, we are always looking for ways to express gratitude.”
The event is an upgrade from a smaller program last year, Cookies for Cops. “We’re trying to think even bigger, involving more agencies,” said the rabbi. “We wanted to thank not only the first responders but also treat their kids to something special.”
Kids were given age-appropriate first-aid kids and t-shirts and had the opportunity to check out fire apparatus and ambulances in the Echo Park parking lot.
