Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes helps honors first responders by serving meals and presenting checks
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes was up early on Tuesday to give back to local first responders.
Skenes traded his baseball glove for an apron and some bottles of barbecue sauce, serving up a free hot meal and some big checks to local first responders.
"The sacrifices that you make, whether you recognize it or not, are more than any of us can ever repay you for," Skenes told first responders.
"It's nice because you get a celebrity like Paul Skenes, you know, showing up at these events — a lot of people don't understand we are volunteer, we do get some money from the borough, but most of our money we have to go out and raise," said Chief Joseph Cambest with the South Baldwin Volunteer Fire Company.
Skenes, the Gary Sinise Foundation and American Tire Distributors presented six Pittsburgh-area departments with $150,000 to buy life-saving equipment.
"It's like, OK, what are we going to skimp on this year? A lot of us appreciate the Gary Sinise Foundation. Any little grant, any little money helps," said Cambest.
Each department says all the money will help them protect their workers and their communities.