On this Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, we want to spotlight a very special volunteer – Gail Simmons. Gail volunteers with Operation BBQ Relief in memory of her son, PFC Ryan Simmons, who served with the U.S. Army in Iraq. He suffered from PTSD and other injuries after his vehicle hit an IED. He passed away in August 2012 at the age of 22 years old.
“Ryan’s birthday was on August 8 and the anniversary of his death is August 12. I always try to take a trip and volunteer wherever I am around those days every year to continue his legacy or service. He was the type of person who was always willing to help others,” Gail said.
This year Gail planned a trip to Sarasota, Fla. When Hurricane Debby caused flooding in the area, instead of canceling her trip, she decided to volunteer to help feed people impacted by the storm.
“I saw on Facebook that Operation BBQ Relief was deployed to Sarasota, and realized that I could help people,” Gail said. “I grew up in St. Louis, Mo. and went through floods. Organizations came to help us, and volunteering with Operation BBQ Relief allowed me to pay it forward to others while honoring Ryan’s memory.”
Gail has a long history of serving others. Gail made history as one of the first five female firefighters in St. Louis, becoming the first female captain and battalion chief. She retired eight years ago after serving for 30 years and eventually moved to The Villages, Fla.
“I loved it and would do it all over again,” Gail said.
Gail first heard about Operation BBQ Relief in September 2023 through her high school friend and fellow retired firefighter Randy Hartmann.
“Randy posted on Facebook that he was volunteering with Operation BBQ Relief in Live Oak, Fla. after Hurricane Idalia came through. It was only two hours from me, so I decided to volunteer,” Gail said.
Gail was immediately impressed with Operation BBQ Relief and was inspired to continue volunteering with us.
“Everybody was so nice and helpful. When you are volunteering, it’s hard work, but it’s worth it to see how receiving meals makes these families so happy and thankful. People came up and hugged me. It’s a very rewarding experience,” Gail said.
In addition to disaster relief, Operation BBQ Relief serves our nation’s heroes and their families year-round through The Always Serving Project and Camp OBR programs.
“I hope to make it to a retreat when there is a mom’s or women’s retreat at Camp OBR. Happy to help such a great organization,” Gail said.
To learn more about how you can join our volunteer family, download the “OBR Volunteers” smartphone app or visit our website at https://operationbbqrelief.org/volunteer-obr.
