Butler’s Culinary Shares a Thanksgiving Gift with Firefighters

Butler Community College’s Hospitality and Culinary Arts programs are bringing cheer to working firefighters in Butler County and Wichita. With funds from the Goebel Family Star Lumber Foundation, volunteer culinary students, alumni and faculty are cooking up turkey, potatoes au gratin, cranberry sauce and apple pie for more than 150 firefighters. Butler staff will be driving the fixings to as far west as 135 St. and as far east as El Dorado.

“While our members work on this Thanksgiving holiday, they will enjoy a professionally prepared meal due to the thoughtfulness and generosity of the Butler Culinary Department,” said Fire Chief Joe Haag, El Dorado Fire Department. “We wish to thank the Culinary department for the support they have shown us this holiday season.” 

All the food will be prepared in Butler’s culinary kitchen at the Boston Recreation Center in South Wichita. From there, Butler staff, while wearing chef jackets, will deliver the food to 24 fire stations in Butler County and Wichita. The Goebel Family Star Lumber Foundation was happy to be asked to help with this unique cause.

 “We are humbled to have been asked to be a part of delivering holiday dinner to the great folks of the fire department,” said Jennifer Stephens, secretary of the Goebel Family Star Lumber Foundation. “We are pleased to help Butler Community College’s Hospitality and Culinary Arts program help feed those who are away from their families during the holidays.”

The food will be delivered cold. This way the firefighters can warm it up whenever they have time to enjoy the meal.

“Our department at Andover Fire-Rescue is very touched that the students of Butler Culinary Arts class have included us in this Thanksgiving holiday. We are humbled and grateful that they would take time away from their own families to prepare a holiday meal for us while we're on duty,” said Frank Shaw, Andover Fire Department. “Our crew here on B-Shift and our families are very excited and looking forward to the ‘Culinary Cuisine’ that the Butler Hospitality and Culinary Arts program has so graciously decided to provide for us.”

Chef John Michael enjoys helping out the community. He and his faculty and students donate hundreds of hours to the community each year.

 “What better way to give thanks than to show appreciation to the brave men and women who risk their lives every day for our wellbeing,” said Chef John Michael. “Thank you Wichita Fire Department, El Dorado Fire Department and Andover Fire-Rescue for everything you do!”