Sudbury Paramedics have done us proud

[Urbanmedic461]

http://www.sudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay....=Carol+Mulligan

Paramedics feed those in need at Grace Family Church

Posted By Carol Mulligan

Posted 1 day ago

It was a different kind of care Greater Sudbury's paramedics dished out Saturday evening.

Instead of checking vital signs and driving patients to hospital, they delivered a Christmas meal with all the trimmings to dozens of Sudbury residents.

Gary Daly said he was overwhelmed with the support of the 160 paramedics who work for Greater Sudbury Emergency Services - and with the generosity of other members of the community.

The dinner was Daly's brainchild after a similar event he and colleagues staged in North Bay years ago was a success.

Paramedics dug deep to donate money and items for the evening meal when Daly decided to try the idea in Sudbury. So did local businesses, business leaders, churches and other groups.

Daly and fellow paramedics Chris Nelson and Frank Laaper helped with the organization. Laaper is also part-time pastor at Grace Family Church and he volunteered the hall.

It was decorated for Christmas and lit softly with candlelight. It was a welcoming sight for people coming in out of the cold.

At least half a dozen paramedics stood at a makeshift steam table dishing out tender slices of turkey, appetizing stuffing, mashed potatoes and five gallons of hot gravy.

Many of their colleagues, spouses and children welcomed guests to the dinner with tuques donated by Tim Hortons and free tickets to raffles for nine large food hampers.

The paramedics quickly responded when a female shut-in phoned to see if she could receive a meal and delivered it to her doorstep.

There was more than enough food for everyone. Organizers worked all day preparing a meal made up of 20 turkeys, 200 pounds of potatoes, seven huge cans of vegetables and 18 homemade meat pies, eight of them whipped up by Deputy Chief Rob Smith of Greater Sudbury Emergency Services.

That massive amount of food was supplemented with several trays of pickles and cheese, 360 bread rolls provided by Weston Bakery and enough desserts to literally feed an army.

Daly filled in where he was needed, but kept stopping to marvel at the outpouring of generosity from Sudburians.

Staff at Poulton's Independent Grocer passed on a Kris Kringle at work this year and donated the money to paramedics instead, said Daly. Much of that money went toward purchasing sweets.

Contributions helped pay for 100 grab bags for children and plenty of door prizes.

About 130 people attended the dinner, but Daly hopes that number will grow when word of the event spreads in years to come.

When the meal was over, there was a ton of food for people to take home. What they couldn't use was delivered to the Elgin Street Mission.

Daly was worried about attendance since this was his organization's first attempt at a Christmas meal. Hearing that 450 people attended the Salvation Army's Christmas dinner "scared us," said Daly, so his group prepared for as many as 350 diners.

Daly said he was proud of his colleagues, some of whom worked all day getting ready for the dinner, then had to work 12-hour shifts that night.

"I'm pretty proud of how we've all come together for this great cause," said a beaming Daly.

There's a saying at Tom Davies Square about the city's paramedics, and Daly said he and his friends proved that in spades with this dinner:

"Paramedics are extraordinary people who go above and beyond."

[JakeEMTP]

Well Done Greater Sudbury Emergency Services! =D>

As I don't exchange gifts at Christmas since I feel it far to commericalised, this is a fine example of what the Christmas is all about. The story made me feel warm all over.

[Cookie]

A positive post for a change.

[SooC]

yay for northern ontario

[minemedic]

Good stuff SEMS!!!

Great community spirit.