This morning Sherwood Park & District Chamber of Commerce member Buffet Royale sent off 694 meals to frontline workers in Fort McMurray. Nancy Werenka, General Manager of Buffet Royale, initially approached the Strathcona County Fire Fighters with an offer to donate 50 meals to frontline workers in Strathcona County.
The firefighters came back to Nancy saying that although they appreciate the offer, our neighbours up in Fort McMurray need these meals more than we do and encouraged her to pay it forward!
Determined to pay it forward, Buffet Royale partnered up with SustainTheLine so that they would be able to donate more meals to frontline workers in Fort McMurray. SustainTheLine is an organization that helps food businesses that are currently struggling due to COVID-19 and matches them with individuals or corporations who want to fund meals for frontline healthcare workers. Receiving a warm reception, Buffet Royal ended up sending up almost 700 meals to frontline workers in Fort McMurray, from their initial goal of 50. The meals that Buffet Royal prepared are hearty, healthy, feel-good meals, which can be frozen and easily prepared.
Andrew Spence, President of the Strathcona County Professional Fire Fighters Association, also a chamber member, coordinated the meal delivery up to Fort McMurray and worked with Integrated Emergency Response to get a trailer to deliver all of the food.
Nancy explained that being a chamber member has offered her business the support and advice from the day she became a member. Although Buffet Royale Carvery sit-down dining remains closed, they are providing most of the same dishes freshly cooked to order and available for delivery or curbside pickup at the Sherwood Park location. Their pickup and delivery service is being marketed under the name Market Royale. For a list of all the current restaurant and food service business members that are open, please click here.