Letters to the editor: Marco, our hometown

On Sunday, over 500 Marco Islanders’ participated in a good old hometown firehouse pancake breakfast.

The Marco Island Fire Rescue Foundation and the Publix on Barfield Drive sponsored this event. During the planning of the event the foundation members decided that the event was not to make money but to bring back a sense of community and friendship. It was obvious with a five dollar fee and all you could eat that they were not going to raise a lot of money.

If you were there you would know what a great community we have. The event made me and people I talked to proud to live on Marco or work for the Fire Rescue Department and the city.

At all the tables, friends, neighbors and people who had not met before sat talking and in some cases for hours. It was amazing to see all of the young and forever young sharing an experience that has often been forgotten. The fire station bays were packed with moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, children and grandchildren creating memories at this community gathering. How many of us remember growing up and going to a pancake breakfast at a firehouse, or church?

The response to the Foundation members were smiling faces along with full stomachs, great conversation, friendship and so many thanks for sponsoring it as people left.

What a great community event. It was wonderful to hear people talk about their childhood memories of their family and their neighborhood community breakfasts.

Hometown, that is what it was all about and it was a huge success. Thank you to all of the foundation members, manager Kevin at Publix and the Publix employees on Barfield as well as all of the Marco families who brought back this wonderful community gathering.

Mike Murphy

Marco Fire Chief