Nicole Orme Crofton’s 24-Hour Volunteer

While many sat down to Thanksgiving dinner with family, some of the soldiers at Fort Meade learned they have an extended family living in Crofton.

Nicole Orme led an army of volunteers serving dinner to more than 300 troops at the “.” The servicemen and women are members of the Defense Information School.

“They do so much for us and it’s so selfless what they do. I feel like they don’t get the recognition,” said Orme. “If people like us don’t do this, no one will. They may not get a good home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner.”

On Nov. 22 more than 50 volunteers from Crofton, Odenton, Bowie and Upper Marlboro rolled up their sleeves to feed those who could not leave the base and head home for the holidays.

“I work with great people,” said Orme. The busy working wife and mom-on-the-go enlisted help from Teresa Crisman to help coordinate the dinner. “It takes a lot of great people to make these things work,” Orme added.

Orme recruited fellow Prince George’s County and Fort Meade firefighters to help prepare the meals. Retired PGFD firefighters Lew Raeder and Buck Volk commanded the kitchen cooking the birds according to Orme.

Several moms and volunteers also came to the army mess hall to help. Orme said Verizon’s Hanover office donated raffle items for the soldiers.

Accokeek’s Kellers Market owner and retired PGFD firefighter Brian Noel donated 100 pounds of turkey breast. Pastor Steve Rhoades at Bowie’s also helped add 15 turkeys to the dinner tables.

“It was amazing,” Orme said. “The troops all saluted us to say thank you. They sang army songs,” she added. “Everyone had fun and they ate a ton.”

Orme’s friend, Jennifer Williams, said Orme has been a giving person their entire lives. The two grew up as playmates and now they team up to work on various community service projects.

“She [Orme] was always helping out with some project, that’s just the way she is,” Williams said. 

Williams teaches second grade at the in Upper Marlboro. She said her students; along with school kids decorated 250 laminated placemats for the Fort Meade dinner.

“We’re always teaching our kids character education,” said Williams. “It’s all about being virtuous community servants. This was a great opportunity to do both.”

This was Orme’s second year preparing a holiday feast for troops at Fort Meade. 

Orme said it’s not easy balancing her roles as wife, mother and fund raiser. She has a house with five kids between the ages of 7 and 16. The firefighter and paramedic with the Prince George’s Fire Department is an avid fundraiser. Orme said she can’t wait to enhance her program in the future.

“It grows ever year," she said. "We want to raise lot more.”

Orme said possible future projects include: a 5K race to benefit the Wounded Warriors and a basketball tournament for the National Fallen Firefighters Association.

Orme is now focusing on stuffing care packages for troops stationed overseas with help from Crofton Meadows students.

“I have a list of soldiers that we send care packages to through the USO,” she said. “Last year I took care of a troop of 100 in Afghanistan. I hope we can do more this year.”