Staff and volunteers have been busily preparing food since early this morning (Mon) as they get ready to serve1,500 turkey dinners at the Saskatoon Friendship Inn. Engagement Manager Laura Herman says they know they could go as high as 1,700 meals served. She says they will welcome guests into the dining room but with the pandemic they started a take-away line and that practice continues with the Thanksgiving meal.

There is no qualifying criteria to have a meal at the Inn. She says they are just there to serve people who need that extra help. The actual turkey lunch starts at 11:30 and the dining room is open till 1:30 with the take-away open till 2 p.m. Herman estimates fifty turkeys will be needed to feed everyone.

The Friendship Inn relied on donations of everything from dried seasonings and vegetables to the turkey’s themselves. But there are other items on their wish-list year round that don’t necessarily include food like personal hygiene items, diapers in sizes 4 and 5, pull ups, and baby formula.

Herman estimates over 40,000 meals were served in August and September.