Weekly dinners raise funds
Friday takeout program a hit in community without restaurant
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, February 15, 2016
SANIKILUAQ
Food fuels the body and, in Sanikiluaq, it also fuels the Paatsaali Running Club.
Since late 2013, teacher Terri Skinner and students in her running club at Paatsaali School have been operating the "Friday Takeout," a dinner service with a variety of meals prepared and sold by students each Friday.
Sales from the service fund the club's trips south for marathons and other events.
In a community with no restaurants or fast-food service, the takeout program was an instant hit.
The trial runs in October 2013 saw 30 to 50 dinners sold at $10 per serving, and now the team averages 80 to 110 servings sold per week.
"It fills a niche market in our community as there are no cafes, restaurants or other fast-food places," stated Skinner in an e-mail.
"Our portions are generous if not fancy, and the food is always delicious, if I say so myself. The community members certainly seem to appreciate the dinners and there is always a large advance reserved list."
The idea originated with Brad Wutke, a former chaperone of the club, who was a professional chef himself. He helped Skinner develop the program into a profitable enterprise.
Students work on a rotating basis each Friday planning menus, serving, preparing food, handling food, selling and learning how to deal with customers.
Chinese food meals seem to be the biggest hit in the community, added Skinner.
The program has been such a fun learning experience that at least one student has dreams to open his own restaurant in Sanikiluaq because of it.
"I have fun cooking," student Andre Qavvik said. "If you have the right recipes you can make some delicious dinners. That's kind of fun to me. I would like to have my own restaurant and getting my own country food, but it's going to take a while."
Skinner said Qavvik has asked her if he could have any of her recipes should he make the dream a reality.
"I promised him that if he ever did, he could have all of my recipes!" stated Skinner.
Qavvik said he's learned a lot of skills in the program.
"I didn't know much about cooking before, but she gave me a lot of tips," he said.
The program runs during the school year and shuts down in mid-May when people spend more time out on the land.
Skinner joked that upon her return to the community from vacation last August, her welcoming committee not-so-subtlety asked how soon the takeout service would reopen.
Since the dinners change weekly, the profit margin is never the same, but Skinner said the program funds at least one trip south for the club a year, if not two.
"One of things that I like the most is listening to the students share their favourite memories of the various running trips as they work together," she stated.
"It makes all the effort worthwhile."
