UPDATE: KFC also donated 70 pieces of chicken for firefighters Tuesday night.
Avalon Advanced Health Care is offering free exams or eye washes for firefighters 24 hours between now and Saturday. They can be reached at 785-301-2639.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Several businesses in town are offering thank yous to local firefighters and first responders for their work on the Ellis County wildfires Tuesday.
Danny Hermann of the Golden Q and Golden Griddle is serving free meals to fire firefighters today to thank them for their service.
Hermann said a number of firefighters, who he suspected had been up all night working on the fires, had already been in to the Golden Griddle this morning for breakfast. He will be offering breakfast at the Griddle until 2 p.m. and a cheeseburger meal at the Golden Q all day.
A former oilfield worker, Hermann said he knew how tough it is to work outside in the wind and the weather.
“I have been where they were and done what they have done, and it sucked,” he said. … “What they had to do yesterday, I can’t imagine. I figured the least that I could do was offer a free meal.”
Shaun Musil, owner of the Paisley Pear and a city commissioner, saw Herman’s post, shared it and also offered free meals to firefighters and law enforcement who aided in the firefighting efforts.
“These guys saved our community from a horrible incident. I saw my friend Danny Hermann’s post and shared it. I challenge other businesses to not only do the same for firefighters, but other law enforcement who responded to fires yesterday. I think it is just a good deed to do for the community.”
Lunch will be served until 2 p.m. at the Paisley Pear.
Ceena Owens, co-owner of H2O, also offered area firefighters and volunteer firefighters a free float session to thank them for their service. Call 785-301-2391, walk in or message H2O on Facebook to book your session. There is no expiration on the offer. Owens said she knows the fire crews may be busy for several days working on hot spots.
She wanted to extend the offer to not only Hays fire crews, but those in the surrounding area as well.
“Thank you so much for protecting us,” Owens said in a Facebook video.
If you are a business that also would like to offer a thank you to our local firefighters or first responders, you can share that information in the comments here, or call Cristina Janney at 301-2077 to be added to this list.