Jasper has historically been known for its host of high-level restaurants, but right now, there’s only one joint in town.
The Jasper Royal Canadian Legion is currently the only location in the townsite that can act for food service and that’s a big responsibility for manager Sue Henderson, one she is more than willing to take on.
“I'm trying. I'm trying to feed everybody,” Henderson said. “I just want to make sure they have a place to eat, get a warm meal in their belly – a breakfast, lunch, supper.”
Henderson is serving up buffet-style breakfast, lunch and dinner at no charge and offering it to anyone currently allowed in the townsite – residents, first responders, contractors and support services.
The Jasper Legion has seen a strong uptake, with around 400 people having a rib dinner Saturday.
Henderson strives to change up the meals each day, ultimately, though, the meal plan depends on whatever is in the freezer.
“This is what I want to do,” she said. “It’s a community. We are a community hub. This is what the Legion does. I want to make sure that everybody in town is taken care of. This is what the Legion is supposed to be for.”
These free meals are being funded through donations, which include residents dropping off food and the Lion’s Club was slated to cook breakfast and lunch today.
Henderson noted that the Hinton Legion had cooked breakfast for Jasper evacuees during the evacuation.
The Jasper Legion will also be hosting the Jasper Food Bank, which lost its home in the fire and is expected to reopen soon.
Team Rubicon, which has been doing disaster relief services, is bunking down in the Legion games rooms.
The Legion has been in contact with West Yellowhead MLA Martin Long and discussions are ongoing to see how the Alberta government can assist the Legion to continue providing support for the community.
Either way, Henderson plans to keep offering meals as long as they can until some normalcy begins to return to Jasper.
“As long as everybody gets a meal, that's all that matters to me, and a smile and a hug,” she said.
