THUNDER BAY - The Dew Drop Inn Soup Kitchen is in major need of an upgraded ventilation system, and were looking for some outside help.
After applying to the Tbaytel for Good Community Fund Campaign, it was announced on Thursday that they had received a $5,000 grant to help keep their volunteers cool and comfortable.
Appropriately, the press conference was held Thursday at the Dew Drop Inn, with temperatures reaching 25 C by 11 a.m., and volunteers hard at work making meals in the background.
“We are going to get the best ventilation we possibly can from this project,”said Michael Quibell, executive director of the Dew Drop Inn. “Originally we had something temporary we couldn’t really afford to upgrade.”
The Red River Road soup kitche is seeng an increasing number of participants, with the program feeding about 300 people per day.
“It’s a small kitchen, it’s a very busy kitchen. It gets very hot. This week is going to be a concern because we’re getting into the 30s, but (the new ventilation) is going to be great for us,” Quibell said.
The Dew Drop Inn submitted a video to the contest, with its submission receiving 279,000 votes in under two weeks.
“It really is up to the public, which is another really cool thing about this program,” said Tbaytel brand communication coordinator Laura Foulds.
“This program allows us to form relationships with people who are the backbone of our community.”
The Gillies Volunteer Fire Department also received a $5,000 grant to help fund a local training facility.
The engineer group Codeabotkids, the St. Ignatius High School drama department, StandUp4CleanUp, and the Red Lake Family Entertainment Series all received additional grants ranging from $1,500 to $500.
As for the soup kitchen, Quibell said the volunteers can expect a cooler kitchen as early as next month.
“I call them our army of awesomeness,” said Quibell. "We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
