Thanksgiving spirit shines through at Dew Drop Inn

THUNDER BAY – A whopping 450 pounds of turkey and more than a pinch of community support were the chief ingredients in the Dew Drop Inn’s annual Thanksgiving meal Monday.

The organization served well over 400 meals to go through the morning and afternoon Monday, with the COVID-19 pandemic preventing the usual sit-down meal at its Red River Road location.

With thunderstorms and rain through much of the day, attendance was substantial, but down from last year’s record 630 meals served.

Organizers had prepared enough food for up to 700, one of the perils of fluctuating need during the pandemic. The Dew Drop Inn’s executive director, Michael Quibell, called it a good problem to have.

“We just make sure we have a lot of food, because it’s never going to go to waste,” he said. “If it’s left over, we’ll serve it with another meal.”

Overall, demand has increased since the pandemic hit, he reported. The group served nearly 11,000 meals in September, almost 30 per cent more than during the same period last year.

Volunteers showed up early Monday morning to begin preparing a turkey dinner complete with bread, stuffing, potatoes, and other vegetables – all donated from the community. Patrons also had the option of a cold lunch, which Quibell said appealed to some since it could be stretched into two meals.

The yearly undertaking wouldn’t be possible without that broad-based support from donors and volunteers, Quibell said.

“It’s kind of like the community and the Dew Drop Inn have partnered together to put on this Thanksgiving dinner,” he said. “We’re really grateful for all the support – we couldn’t do it [otherwise].”