BANGOR, Maine — Although many people spend Christmas Day sharing presents and making long-lasting memories with the people they love most, there are others who work on the holiday, giving one of the most selfless gifts this season.
First responders, 911 dispatchers, highway toll workers, and even people who work for restaurants and in hospitality sacrifice time away from their families to serve others.
Kendrick Mccarthy, dispatch supervisor at Penobscot Regional Communications Center, said his staff is happy to do the job. He said most team members working on Christmas clocked between 12 and 14 hours.
McCarthy said, because the communications center is still short staffed, some workers who weren't originally scheduled to work even agreed to fill in to cover staffing shortages.
"They work hard. They're in here a lot. A lot of overtime. A lot of days away from home. A lot of missed events. A lot of sacrifices. They're just great people," McCarthy said. "We want to be here to help everyone else out."
Diane Frederickson, who works the tolls on the Maine Turnpike, said she volunteers to work Christmas. She said if she has to sacrifice her own time so her co-workers can make memories with their families—then so be it.
"I'm working 11 hours today," Frederickson said. "I want them to be home with their children."
Frederickson said giving her time is her way of spreading love. She said she often sees parents traveling up and down the highway to make sure their children have the opportunity to visit their other parent, who may live in a different place.
Frederickson said the love and dedication she sees from parents during the holidays doesn't go unnoticed, knowing that her co-workers who have younger children already give so much.
Suzanne Hamilton also works the tolls. She said she volunteers to work every holiday season as well and believes this world needs as much healing and goodness as she can bring.
"I always ask for Christmas to be out here because Christmas can be either happy or sad, and I just happen to be the right person to do it," Hamilton said.
Hamilton has been an on-call worker for 18 years. She said she is retired, and she only works one day per week. She greets every car with a smile, knowing that one act of kindness can go a long way.
Bangor Fire Department lieutenant Alexander Layman said his team is part of the many workers who put others before themselves in an effort to keep everyone safe.
Layman said finding people who are willing to work the job these days is difficult, making it harder and harder to staff fire departments and other first responder job roles. He said sometimes there are good days, but the bad days can be terrible, because firefighters respond to some of the most tragic catastrophes. Regardless, Layman said the work has to be done.
"Everybody here has that sense of duty to the community and to the people that we provide for, and that's just kind of how we're all wired," Layman said. "We know it needs to get done and we're the people to do it."
Layman said during Christmas and other special days throughout the year, firefighters invite their loved ones to the station to spend a little quality time during their down time. He said when they can, they share a meal with their families during their shift.
Layman said with New Years coming up, he looks forward to some much needed off time to refresh, make family memories of his own, and come back ready to serve people in his community.
McCarthy said when you spend your holidays with your co-workers as often as he does, they become your extended family. He offered a piece of advice to people as the holiday season comes to a close.
"Make the most of the time that you've got with the people that you have," McCarthy said.