Downtown businesses thank first responders

Downtown businesses are once again celebrating the police, firefighters and emergency responders who work in the heart of the city, designating January as the second annual First Responders Appreciation Month.

Sponsored by the Downtown Improvement District, organizers are teaming with local restaurants to offer $50 meal vouchers to first responders working downtown. They will also distribute signs and pins with positive messages throughout downtown storefronts.

And on Jan. 24, students from Sarasota Military Academy, Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences, St. Martha Catholic School and Southside Elementary School will show their gratitude for first responders in an event at the Sarasota Police Department.