First Responders will be honoured at Dresden Raceway this Sunday as the half-mile track will be hosting Police, Fire and Paramedics for everything they do in the community.

“These wonderful people not only put their lives on the line everyday when they go to work but they are also such a huge part of the community when they are not working whether it’s coaching sports, donating time to charities or sitting on committees. They deserve the respect and recognition,” said Track Publicist/Announcer Gary Patterson.

Donald MacLellan is the Manager of the local Medavie EMS but is also a life-long horseman.

“I’ve been involved in the harness racing industry my whole life. I started with my father in Nova Scotia and continued when I moved to Ontario,” MacLellan said.

MacLellan is a great tie in between the demanding world of Emergency Services and the harness racing business.

“It’s a great fit. I can have the most hectic day at work and then when I get to the track around the horses all that goes away and it’s like a peace comes over me,” he added.

Dresden Raceway will have a Police Cruiser, Fire Truck and Ambulance at Sunday’s races for fans to view and all Emergency Services workers and their families will get a free program and hot dog. The track will also honour First Responders in the fifth race.

Sunday’s 11-race card also features the Little Saratoga Pace in the eighth race, for pacers who are at the track every week. The winner will receive a blanket and will have their name inscribed on the trophy that is displayed at the track.

“Many times the horses that grind it out week after week aren’t recognized but with the Little Saratoga Pace we get the chance to recognize those everyday horses that make our industry work,” said Patterson.

First post time is 1:30 p.m. To view entries for Sunday's card, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Dresden Raceway.

(with files from Dresden)