Four Seasons Hotel shows its appreciation to first responders by providing free Thanksgiving meals

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When a lot of people are at home with their loved ones, many first responders, police officers, hospital employees and others are often working on Thanksgiving. But for the Four Seasons in Georgetown, this hotel has been showing their appreciation to these public servants for the past 17 years.

From 300 pounds of turkey to 100 pies along with all the sides and fixings of a traditional Thanksgiving feast, the Four Seasons donates 500 meals to those who serve us on Thanksgiving Day.

It's the same meal you would get if you were dining inside the hotel for the holiday. But this delicious food is instead served outside on a large donated moving truck called the Mayflower. For those on the go, containers were also available for workers to bring back to others who are on duty and can't get away for the meal.

This tradition is something our local workers look forward to and come back for year after year.

"These people are actually taking time out of their holiday to come honor us and to help us enjoy a Thanksgiving meal that we were normally never able to do with our families," said Jerome Stoudemire, a retired member of the United States Park Police.

"I've actually been coming here since I was working in the emergency department and every year that they have had it," said Carlo Cruz, a nursing supervisor. "It's been fantastic. We're having to work and they re over here making meals for us."

It started 17 years ago and the tradition has continued every year since. It is an understanding from those who work in the hospitality industry, who also work on Thanksgiving Day, to give back to others in the same situation.

"Being in the hospitality industry, we work when others celebrate," said David Bernard, general manager for the Four Seasons Hotel Washington D.C. "You know what? Since we're here, why not extend this hospitality outside of the Four Seasons' walls and also do this on the street. Do this for people that need it, and most importantly, all the people in town that work on this day - all of the public servants, nurses, people in hospitals, firefighters, policemen as well as anybody else that may be on duty today."

Since they started doing this, this event has served over 6,000 meals to public servants working on Thanksgiving Day.