CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — As Winter Storm Fern coated Northeast Georgia with ice and snow and stretched emergency resources across the region, a Clarkesville restaurant quietly opened its doors with one goal in mind: making sure first responders knew a hot meal was waiting if they could step away.
Wolf Creek BBQ offered free lunch Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to first responders working in hazardous winter conditions, inviting law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, health care workers, utility crews and road workers to stop in as a gesture of appreciation.
“This meal was just Wolf Creek’s way of giving back to all of the first responders who are
on the front lines of this winter storm,” owner Mike Roberson told Now Habersham.
While icy roads, downed trees and emergency calls kept many responders tied up in the field, Roberson kept the restaurant open and ready throughout the lunch hours in case crews were able to take a brief break from storm duties. Roberson was the only staff member working Sunday, handling food preparation and service himself as conditions across the county remained dangerous.
The restaurant made a point to include road crews and others working outdoors to keep travel routes open, noting in a social media post that those clearing roads and restoring access were also considered first responders.
Winter Storm Fern has caused widespread power outages, hazardous travel conditions and delayed emergency responses across Northeast Georgia, forcing many responders to work extended shifts while navigating icy roadways and blocked access points. Local officials have repeatedly urged residents to stay off the roads to allow emergency and utility crews to do their jobs safely.
Roberson said the effort was not about how many people could stop in, but about being available when they could.
“Even if they can’t make it in, we want them to know we’re thinking about them and we appreciate what they’re doing,” he said.
As the storm continued to impact the region, Wolf Creek BBQ’s doors remained open — a small but deliberate show of support for the people working behind the scenes to keep Northeast Georgia safe.
