The big Huntsville BBQ that honors our first responders

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A fireman prepares a plate of BBQ at the Redstone Federal Credit Union First Responders Lunch in Huntsville, Alabama — Firemen prepare plates of freshly smoked BBQ to dine in at the Redstone Federal Credit Union First Responders Lunch. (Ben Johnson / Hville Blast)

On a sunny fall day in early October, firetrucks, police cars and other emergency vehicles filled the parking lot of Redstone Federal Credit Union on Wynn Drive. Groups of uniformed public safety professionals filed in while a stream of volunteers poured out, carrying boxes and pushing carts loaded with food and water.

The scene almost resembled an emergency command center, except everyone was at ease, the tone was light, and the meals went to folks not typically on the receiving end of service: It was Redstone Federal Credit Union‘s 10th annual First Responders Lunch.

Read on to learn more about all that goes into the event and why it’s become a favorite tradition for RFCU and our local public safety pros.

Redstone luncheon feeds over 885 first responders

Cook teams prepare BBQ pork butts prior to the Redstone Federal Credit Union First Responders Lunch in Huntsvillle, Alabama — Redstone volunteers and employees prepare and pack hundreds of BBQ lunches for local first responders. (Top 3: Redstone Federal Credit Union; Below: Ben Johnson / Hville Blast)

Redstone Federal Credit Union employees and volunteers pack meals at the annual First Responders Lunch in Huntsville, Alabama — Redstone volunteers and employees prepare and pack hundreds of BBQ lunches for local first responders. (Top 3: Redstone Federal Credit Union; Below: Ben Johnson / Hville Blast)

Does your financial institution have its own cooking team? Redstone does, and these volunteer chefs always pull an all-nighter to prepare for the meal. This year, the team smoked 60 BBQ butts and 1,200 chicken wings for its Huntsville area attendees, says RFCU Sr. AVP, Community Relations Kelley Middlebrooks.

That team gets up well before 6 AM the day of the luncheon to shred the meat before delivering it to the prep and packing crew.

Middlebrooks says the whole team pitches in to show appreciation for people who serve the community.

This event grew from serving 119 meals the first year to serving over 885 local people working in firefighting, law enforcement, emergency management services, dispatch, search and rescue and the military. And that was just in Huntsville this year (more on that to come).

A welcome stop for a delicious, peaceful meal

A fire official loads a box of lunches at the First Responders Lunch in Huntsville Alabama — First responders are invited to dine in on the day of the lunch, while hundreds more orders are packed and sent to those on duty. (Ben Johnson / Hville Blast)

Redstone Federal Credit Union employees greet a police officer at the annual First Responders Lunch in Huntsville, Alabama — First responders are invited to dine in on the day of the lunch, while hundreds more orders are packed and sent to those on duty. (Ben Johnson / Hville Blast)

Financial Fraud Detective Michael Ferguson served with the Decatur Police Department for 14 years and has also been a member of Redstone Federal Credit Union since he was 18. Another special personal connection? His wife works in fraud safety for Redstone.

Ferguson says he’s been to five of the lunches over the years, always welcoming the opportunity to be around other people with careers in public safety, swap stories and enjoy a peaceful meal.

“It’s nice to come to a place like this today and be around people who are like minded about wanting to help and serve the community. We truly feel appreciated and always have by Redstone for many, many years. And the food is wonderful!”
_{Detective Michael Ferguson}

ICYMI: Get tips on protecting yourself from financial fraud from Redstone Federal Credit Union experts.

A ‘small thank you’ tradition that’s spread

A Redstone Federal Credit Union shows a packed lunch box at the First Responders Lunch in Huntsville, Alabama — Redstone Federal Credit Union employees and volunteers pack lunches for first responders on the go. (Ben Johnson / Hville Blast)

True to its philosophy of “people helping people,” when Redstone leaders saw how well the lunches were received in the Huntsville area, they brought the tradition to their Southern Tennessee locations starting four years ago. A week after our lunch here, Redstone FCU hosted another up in Murfreesboro, serving an additional 200 first responders.

“We are so honored to serve the ones that serve us in this community. This is a small thank you to the first responders. One universal gift you can give anybody is food, and they seem to enjoy it. We have board and committee members who are volunteers, as well of a lot of our employees, who do this. We have carried this forward up into our locations in Tennessee now, too, and we’re really excited about that.”
_{Joseph Newberry, Redstone Federal Credit Union CEO}

Learn more about Redstone Federal Credit Union and how it gives back to its members and communities.

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