A long line stretched outside PAGC Urban Services on Friday as volunteers served free food in 31°C heat during the latest Food For a Smile community barbecue.
Food For a Smile creator Devin Dubois estimated roughly 500 people had already been served by mid-afternoon, with the event on track to reach its goal of feeding 1,000 people.
“I didn’t expect the lineup to be down the block,” Dubois said.
The July 17 barbecue brought together Food For a Smile, Valley Hill Youth Treatment Centre, Uplift Thrift, PAGC and volunteers from across Prince Albert.
Dubois said the event came together with support from each group and donations from the wider community.
Valley Hill supplied half of the meat and a large portion of the buns, while Uplift Thrift provided more buns and drinks. Community members contributed water, food containers, condiments and volunteer help.
Dubois said one of the day’s most memorable moments came after he posted online in a popular Facebook group, that the event needed more water.
“It just came in,” he said. “We have so much water right now.”
Volunteers stood over the barbecues throughout the afternoon, preparing hamburgers, hot dogs, and packing the food despite the heat.
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
A PAGC volunteer poses for a photo near the barbecue while Food For a Smile organizer Devin Dubois photo bombs her in the background.
“Volunteers from the community came in, friends, family and just people who give a dang,” Dubois said. “They showed up to stand in front of the barbecue in 31 degrees.”
He said the strong turnout showed there is interest in making the event larger in the future.
Dubois hopes Food For a Smile can eventually help create a broader Prince Albert festival rather than limiting its work to one-day barbecues and giveaways.
“I just need some support from this community, and we can make big things happen,” he said.
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
Uplift Thrift owners Josh Stringer and Janessa Dueck stand near donations collected at the entrance of the store during Friday’s event.
The barbecue also collected donations for Uplift Thrift, a new second-hand store owned by Josh Stringer and his business partner, Janessa Dueck.
Stringer said the store’s porch was filling with donated clothing, household items and electronics during the event.
“There’s getting to be a pile of donations,” he said. “It’s actually been really good.”
Stringer said Uplift Thrift was created to offer affordable products while helping people who cannot afford basic items.
When someone comes into the store needing clothing or another essential item, he said staff may donate it rather than sell it.
“There have been a lot of people coming in needing clothing,” Stringer said. “They can’t afford to buy themselves a new shirt or new clean socks, or they don’t have a place to do their laundry, so we provide them with some of those basics.”
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
Clothing, household goods and other donations fill the porch at Uplift Thrift during the Food For a Smile event.
He said the store is particularly interested in quality household and kitchen items, socks, blankets, jackets and winter clothing.
Stringer asked people not to bring very large quantities because Uplift Thrift is a small store with limited space.
“If people have quality products that are just laying around and not being used, we’d be happy to take them in and help disperse them,” he said.
Stringer said Uplift Thrift joined the barbecue because its goals are similar to those behind Food For a Smile.
“He’s done a lot of positive things,” Stringer said of Dubois. “He’s kind of got the same goal in mind as we do.”
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
Organizers and volunteers stand together for a photo during the Food For a Smile community barbecue on Friday.
Dubois said Friday’s response showed how far Food For a Smile had come since beginning as what he described as a “stupid stunt.”
“It turned into an actual community event that people are getting behind,” he said. “I’ve never created anything so special.”
Dubois said the positive response at Friday’s barbecue stood in contrast to the negativity he often sees online.
“There’s a lot of toxicity online,” he said. “There’s so much trolling and racism going on online. But if you come to my page, you’ll see the positivity.”
His growing Food For a Smile Facebook page is now monetized and helps support future giveaways and community events.
He said the support for the barbecue showed a different side of Prince Albert.
“There’s so many good people in PA,” Dubois said. “You just have to look through the trolls.”
His message to those who donated, volunteered or attended was simple.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
