EDMONTON — A diner in Old Strathcona that provides a hot Christmas meal to those in need every year is in desperate need of help after losing its main sponsor for the annual dinner.
B’s Diner, located at 100 Street and 82 Avenue, is hosting its 13th annual Christmas party on Dec. 15 for those who may not otherwise have a turkey dinner this holiday season. The diner feeds an average of 300 people at the annual event.
“It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger every year,” said Adelle Toms, sous chef at B’s Diner. “With the economic times right now I’m pretty sure it’s probably going to be closer to 500 people this year.”
“It’s all you can eat. It’s a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings, dessert,” said Brenda Der, owner of B’s Diner.
But due to an unforeseen family emergency, the person who regularly sponsors the meal won’t be able to do so this year. The diner usually prepares 18 large turkeys and 12 hams at the dinner, and so far they only have one turkey.
“We’re always in need of turkeys, hams, desserts, non-perishable items like cranberry sauce,” she said. “Then perishable things to make the stuffing, so we need vegetables. We need butter for the rolls, things like that.”
Der hopes the community can rally together to help them out so they can go ahead with the dinner.
“I’ve always been a strong person and I do believe if you continue to do good in this world that something will come back,” she said. “No human deserves to go hungry.”
“You get people from every walk of life that just need that little help, you know, just a little bit of support; a little bit of food,” added Toms.
“The least we can do once a year is feed them.”
B’s Diner also hopes to go beyond its annual Christmas dinner this year. If they get enough donations, staff will also prepare additional meals and deliver them to less fortunate families in Edmonton.
Donations can be dropped off at the diner. For more information on how you can help, visit B’s Diner’s Facebook Page.