LEWISTON — Local churches hosted a party for first responders Sunday in Simard-Payne Memorial Park, complete with games, slides, a bounce house and food trucks, as well as a choir that had traveled all the way from Alabama.

Celebration in the Park was put on by the Thomas Memorial Baptist Church, United Birch Church and sister church Dawson Family of Faith baptist church of Alabama, which brought its 100-person youth choir to perform for the event.

Raffles, games and other activities were held.

About 150 guests attended the celebration Sunday, as well as Lewiston and Auburn police officers and firefighters, according to Nancy Perry of Thomas Memorial.

“We put this on for our first responders in Lewiston and Auburn to say thank you for what they do for us that goes unthanked so often,” she said.

“One of the purposes of this was to pay respects to our first responders,” said the Rev. Gary Bragg from Thomas Memorial. “They do a great many things where they put their lives on the line, Bragg said. “Every day, they serve us, the people. What these guys do is irreplaceable. Spread a message through this community that we support them.”

Bragg said he asked the firefighters what the public can do to help them.

Number your house, they said.

“And if they’re on the way to your house, get out the way,” Bragg said.

Firefighters also want the public to remember that a yellow light does not mean “speed up.”

Local police officers had similar advice to offer.

“Numbers on the houses are good,” Lewiston Police Officer Matthew Vierling said. “Believe it or not, we don’t know every street and every house.”

If you see something going on, call it in, he said. Be safe on the streets, buckle up and never text and drive, he said.

He had one more important piece of advice to offer.

“Police, by nature, are pretty stoic,” he said. “But go up to an officer, shake his hand and give him a hug. Officers are Christians, too. We believe in giving as much as taking.”