Restaurants urge other businesses, groups and individuals to get involved with new #HydrateOurHeroes initiative
Thirteen of Dallas-Fort Worth’s most beloved restaurants are thanking first responders – the fire, police and EMS professionals willing to put their lives on the line for all of us – by helping to make sure the summer heat doesn’t leave them dehydrated. On June 7, all DFW-area Blue Goose Cantina, Aw Shucks and Big Shucks locations brought water and Gatorade to 39 local fire and police stations in Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Highland Village, Frisco, McKinney, Lewisville and to kick off the #HydrateOurHeroes initiative to show appreciation to first responders. They are urging other local businesses, individuals and groups to donate to help make the brutal summer heat more tolerable for our men and women in uniform.
“Dropping off a case of water or Gatorade at your local station to tell them ‘Thank you’ goes a long way,” Matt Mortimer, director of operations for Blue Goose Cantina, said as he and his team hauled in cases of refreshing beverages to a local fire station. “Anyone can get involved, and it’s a great way to show appreciation.”
“For someone to actually walk in and give us something to help us out means a lot,” Plano Fire Department Captain Michael Vernon noted as his team received the first of 39 donations made across the North Texas area yesterday.
Some stations’ employees (like in Dallas, for example) purchase all food and drinks with money from their own pockets. Other stations have some budget to help keep crews refreshed, but they are often small and need supplementing, or could be used to purchase other needed items. Volunteer fire fighters often rely on their own budgets to keep their waters stocked. While hauling 50-75 pounds of heavy gear around while working in summertime heat, it’s crucial that first responders are well hydrated. Firefighters in gear, for example, can lose two percent of body mass within 30 minutes, according to a study published in Fire Engineering Magazine.
Erin Paxton, manager at Blue Goose Cantina in McKinney, saw pleas from several DFW-area first stations posted on the DFW Scanners Facebook page and decided to do something to help. She enlisted the support of her employer, Blue Goose Cantina, and its sister restaurants, Aw Shucks and Big Shucks, to kick off a #HydrateOurHeroes initiative. On Thursday, Erin and her fellow managers and directors donated 390 cases of drinks, with the goal of refreshing almost 10,000 North Texas first responders.
Anyone can get involved: Simply stop by and donate water or sports drinks, like Gatorade, to your local fire or police station, to show them your appreciation. Post your donations online using the hashtag #HydrateOurHeroes to share this with your friends! Blue Goose Cantina is offering a free cup of queso to people who donate if you post a picture of your donation online, and hashtag both #HydrateOurHeroes and #BlueGooseCantina.
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