Firefighters and paramedics at Fairfield Fire Station No. 2 didn’t have to argue who was cooking lunch Monday afternoon.
Three representatives from the local Olive Garden prepared and delivered a complete pasta and salad lunch to the first-responders on Labor Day, continuing a tradition the national restaurant chain started 15 years ago.
More than 800 Olive Garden restaurants nationwide served their local first-responders a special “thank you” lunch for their ongoing, dedicated service to the community. Restaurant chain officials said they have served more than 10,000 free meals since the program started in 2002.
Those at Station No. 2 were appreciative of the efforts of the restaurant and its employees. Several pans of spaghetti, Alfredo, meatballs, sausage and chicken and bowls of salad and bags of bread sticks were set up by Olive Garden employees. Thirty minutes later, the 15 firefighters and medics, plus one Fairfield police officer, had devoured most of the food.
Firefighter and paramedic Briana Molfetta was one of the last to eat because her lunch was delayed because she was on a medic run. When she arrived, she was cheered by her co-workers.
After she ate, Molfetta was asked what the free meal meant to her. Before she answered, the other firefighters gathered around.
“We all ready appreciate it,” said Molfetta, who was hired 18 months ago. “We get busy, especially on holidays. It helps us out. It was nice to come back from a run to a hot meal.”
Lt. Jamie Ruhl called the prepared lunch “a nice break” for the firefighters, especially on a holiday.
Jessica Adamson, a cook at Olive Garden, said she was “very proud and honored” to serve the firefighters. She applauded her company for supporting the first-responders.
“It’s a very good cause,” she said. “Giving back to them because they do it every day for us.”
