Labor Day doesn’t mean a long weekend for everyone
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NORTH JACKSON — Many workers had the day off this Labor Day, but others like nurses, police officers and firefighters don’t get that luxury. The holiday is often celebrated as a day off from work with family cookouts and outings, but some were left laboring away on Labor Day. The first Monday in September became an official holiday in 1894 after a push by the nation’s labor unions. While many Americans are granted a long weekend to relax, others were pretty busy. Lea Washington is an RN at regional hospital of Jackson and said the action they saw on Monday is unusual for a holiday. “For any holiday today just seems to be the busiest we’ve had in a long time,” Washington said. Washington says nothing is typically scheduled for holidays so everything they see is through the emergency room. While the nurses were taking care of patients, some workers in town were taking care of each other. On Monday, more than 800 Olive Garden restaurants nationwide delivered and served their local fire station, police department, hospital or other town employees for a special “thank you” lunch. Antonio Black is the culinary manager at the Olive Garden in Jackson and has been delivering food to town employees on Labor Day for quite some time. “This is actually the thirteenth consecutive year that we’ve delivered out to any police department, fire department, but somehow we always seem to forget about the Tennessee Highway Patrol,” Black said. But not this year. This year the troopers were given a bite to eat too. Trooper Gina Eubanks says she’s thankful. “It’s the little things like that that show people that you know they appreciate what we do out here and everything, and it shows that we’re doing our job when they come and do stuff like that,” Eubanks said. Eubanks has some advice for travelers as the long weekend comes to an end. “You’ll get there going 70 you’ll get there going 85, but be aware we’ll be out there looking for the 85s,” she said. The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be out in full force till Tuesday morning to make sure everyone is safe.
