NIGHT CREWS FEAST EARLY AT HOSPITAL

At 2 in the morning, with a wind-chill factor of 9 degrees outside, Wednesday's Thanksgiving dinner at St. Francis Medical Center didn't seem too traditional.

But as Cape Girardeau police officers drifted in from their beats, and on-duty nurses and medical technicians gathered in the medical center's cafeteria for a turkey dinner, the spirit of Thanksgiving came alive.

"Actually, I thought it was the lack of sleep that was making me feel this good," Bob Owen, St. Francis director of human resources said as he served the night workers dinner. "I'm probably the world's worst Scrooge about holidays, but this is kind of my light switch that goes on every year. Once it gets to this time it starts feeling like the holiday seasons."

Cape Girardeau police Cpl. Barry Hovis said he appreciated going out on the cold night to see friends at the hospital.

"Anytime you can come in and sit down and get a nice home-cooked meal it's a big plus for me," he said. "It does create some stress working the holidays, when you'd like to be with your family. It comes with the job. A police officer realizes once you get this job you're going to have to work a few holidays."

Cape Girardeau police Ptlmn. Dan Simmons said the dinner was a good gesture by the medical center.

"It's nice that they did this," Simmons said. "It makes you feel like you're appreciated by the people you work with."

The medical center had two dinners Tuesday: one for the day crew and one for the night crew. Wednesday morning's meal covered all the shifts. The dinner, which was ham, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, rolls, pumpkin pie and brownies, cost employees $2; it was free to police and firefighters.

St. Francis spokesperson Jay Wolz said the medical center had to charge something or they would "lose their shirt." He said about 1,000 meals were served Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

St. Francis employees Jim Neal and Rose Shafer appreciated the dinner.

"It's nice that they didn't forget about the third shift," said Neal, an administrative partner at the medical center. "The food's good and it's a good price."

Marcia Southard-Ritter, vice president of patient care, dished out stuffing and mashed potatoes until 3 a.m.

"We just do this to show the employees how much we appreciate them and the fact that this is a 24-hour-a-day operation," she said. "These people who will be working the holidays, we just wanted to give them some recognition."

While it wasn't the traditional time for a Thanksgiving dinner, Owen said it was important to remember the night shift.

"They come across sometimes feeling like the neglected stepchild," he said. "But without the night shift you're only working 16 hours a day."