Nonprofit Serves Special ‘Thank You’ Lunch To Sand Springs First Responders

Sand Springs first responders, who were called to two tragic scenes this month, got a special "thank you" Friday.

The men who cooked them a steak lunch are from a nonprofit made up of pit masters from all over the south. Two churches came together to donate money for the meat and members from all over the community came together to make this event happen. 

"Food is the way to everybody's heart and it helps the healing process start," said Red Oak, Texas Fire Chief Ben Blanton.

The theme today, is smoke. You are going to see it, in most of these shots- my camera lens was covered in it and if we had smell-ivision, your mouth would be watering. It probably is.

"It just makes you feel good. You get to help these guys out, hopefully they feel a little better after they get their bellies full," said Tulsa Police Sgt Chris Forrest. 

You are witnessing something special.

"It reinforces that there are people in the community, and people outside of our community that care about us," said Sand Springs Police Captain Todd Enzbrenner. 

A nonprofit called Steaks 4 Sheepdogs is cooking a ribeye steak meal for first responders who were called to two murder-suicides in February.

"We are here to let them know people care about them, we know what they are going through and just try to lift them up a little bit," said Bill Bond with Steaks 4 Sheepdogs. 

These guys know a steak can't take away trauma, but it can provide some comfort, community, love and some normalcy.

"Sit together, have a meal together, share their emotions together, it is great. It helps them get through it," said Tulsa Police Sgt Chris Forrest. 

Some of the guys who work with the nonprofit are first responders themselves and some are parents of first responders who love to cook.

"I drove from Red Oak, Texas which is about 30 miles South of Dallas, about five and a half hours," said Red Oak, Texas Fire Chief Ben Blanton.

At the beginning of the meal, the nonprofit makes a meal for fallen officers or firefighters at the station. On Friday, a meal was placed on a table for Assistant Police Chief Jesse C Huskey. He died in 1933 after being shot on patrol. 

There was a sense of community in the room, a sense of camaraderie and a powerful resilience, pulling each woman and man through traumas like the ones they are still processing.

"It is a brotherhood like no other and it is a way to give back to them to hopefully start that healing process from some of the recent events that they have had to go through," said Red Oak, Texas Fire Chief Ben Blanton. 

You can help this nonprofit continue to support law enforcement all over the country just by buying their seasonings or their coffee. 100% of their proceeds go towards their mission. 

You can find them on Facebook here or visit the website here.