Women of Wisdom show appreciate to first responders

With the anniversary of 9/11 this Sunday — an organization shows their appreciate by contributing free lunch to local first responders in Gulfport.

WOW, Women of Wisdom, is a non-profit marketplace ministry.

Along with community partners and volunteers, the organization fed over 800 first responders along the Gulf Coast in remembrance of 9/11.

“I’m really passionate about this, my oldest son is a fireman and that’s why I focus on the firemen and police,” said Bridget Turan, the event coordinator, said. “Because I feel these first responders do way more for the community and they don’y ever get the recognition they deserve in my opinion.”

On top of getting free lunch, every first responder was gifted a goody bag with coupons and a personalized card inside from students of the gulf coast school districts.

Gulfport Police Chief Adam Cooper was pleased to be a part of something positive with such a somber occasion coming up on Sunday.

“It’s amazing to realize how much you touch people’s lives, that they are willing to take time out of their day and come out here, volunteer their time, and bring all this food,” said Chief Cooper.

Of the 2,977 people killed in the September 11 attacks, 343 of those killed were firefighters.

It remains the largest loss of life of any emergency response agency in U.S. history.

“You know, it is a very sad weekend, a sad day for our country, for the first responders, and the community,” Gulfport Fire Chief Billy Kelley said. “and what they do for us, what better way to make someone happy than to feed them.”