Island County first responders received a free meal for their service during the COVID-19 crisis.

The meal was sponsored by the county commissioners and several businesses.

Island County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Jeff Humphrey said the county commissioners asked him to organize the meals.

“It was just a way the community could say thank you to our first responders for a difficult season,” Humphrey said. “It was a way to pat them on the back.”

Local business such as Haggens, Safeway, Darbonnier Tactical Supply and Humphrey’s Whidbey Sign Co. donated food and money for supplies.

Wednesday morning about 20 volunteers turned 100 pounds of brisket and 40 pounds of pulled pork into about 200 meals.

Beginning around 11 a.m. the meals were delivered to COVID-19 testing sites on Whidbey and Camano islands.

After a first responder was tested for the virus they received the free meal.

The meals were also delivered to fire and emergency medical service stations, ICOM and law enforcement offices on Whidbey Island.

“We figured out how many were working the shift, staff and so forth, and we took food to all those different places,” Humphrey said.

“The meal was second to none,” he said.

“We made brisket sandwiches and we made pulled pork sandwiches and we had pasta salad and potato salad and sodas and cookies.”