THUNDER BAY — Burger afficionados have been anxiously awaiting Novemburger’s return for the past 11 months.
They’ll be glad to know this year’s month-long United Way of Thunder Bay fundraiser is bigger and better than ever, with 27 different locations offering up their own specialty burger, nearly one a day to sample throughout November.
Two dollars from each burgers sold is donated to the United Way, with more than $80,000 collected during the first four years of the increasingly popular event.
Kevin Anderson, an acting division chief at Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, is one of this year’s Novemburger ambassadors, and is pledging to do his best to try each and every burger creation this month.
First up was the Anchor and Ore’s.
“I really enjoyed the crunchiness of the cabbage in the one I had. It was nice. What a great way to give back to the community. Who doesn’t love a burger? So, I’ll go around and get the guys from work to come with me,” Anderson said. “That’s my plan to really promote it, put it on social media and then everybody wins. We should be able to sell a lot of those.”
Will he eat all 27 over the next 30 days?
He’ll try, he said.
“I’m going to do my best. I think I can do it. We’ll see how it goes,” Anderson said.
Other ambassadors include the Honest Heart Collective, Police Chief Darcy Fleury, influencer Damien Gilbert and Thunder Bay Television's Josh Marano.
Albert Brulé, executive director at the United Way of Thunder Bay, said it’s been phenomenal to see Novemburger continue to grow.
It started in 2019 with 11 participating restaurants and each year more eateries sign on.
“Each restaurant creates its own unique burger, so everything from smash burgers to chicken burgers to a fish burger to a vegetarian burger and good old carnivorous beef burgers are all available for every taste and different budgets,” Brulé said.
“I challenge everyone to get out there and try 27 burgers in 30 days. You get three days off for the month of Novemburger.”
It’s the tastiest fundraiser of the year, he added.
“We love that it kind of combines the magic of food and these chefs and restaurateurs who have created these unique burgers with the power of giving. Not only do you get to taste a yummy burger, you get to feel good know that $2 from every burger sold is going back to the community to help those in need.”
New this year is the Novemburger voucher program, which a number of local businesses, including Teleco, will provide burger vouchers to customers, and Novemburger at Work, which encourages workplaces to place a company lunch order as part of an employee campaign.
The traditional top Novemburger of the year, people’s choice Novemburger and most Novemburgers sold prizes will also be awarded.
Platinum participants include Anchor & Ore, Beefcakes Burger Factory, Dawson General Store, Daytona’s, Galaxy Lanes, Gateway Casino, Hodder Greeks, The Industry Social House, the Outpost, Norteños, Prospector Burger Barn, Red Lion Smokehouse, The Sal and Station 22.
Gold-level participants include Applebees, Bight, Bonobo’s Foods, Chicago Joes, the Foundry, Java Hut, Joey’s Restaurant, Kangas Sauna, Madhouse, El Tres, Mario’s Bowl, Portside Steak and Seafood and Skal Restaurant.
For more information, visit www.novemburgeruwaytbay.ca.
