Seven Prince Albert restaurants will be pumping out fries, gravy and cheese as the first official Big Brothers Big Sisters Poutine Week kicks off in Prince Albert.

From March 11-20, Boston Pizza, Mr. Mikes, Original Joe’s, Rock and Iron Clubhouse, Shananigan’s Bistro, The Knotty Pine, and The Spice Trail will all compete for the Gravy Boat Championship, and raise as much money as possible for mentorship organization Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS).

“We’re excited because it really is something that the wider community can participate in,” Big Brothers Big Sisters development coordinator Natasha Thomson said. “It’s family friendly, and it also creates a lot of interest and fun for the participating restaurants.”

Until March 20, $4 from each poutine sold will go towards local youth mentoring programs. Food lovers can vote on their favourite poutine by sharing their poutine picture on Facebook or Instagram with #papoutineweek.

Thomson said she’s looking forward to seeing the different types of poutine each restaurant comes up with.

“It is so creative,” Thomson said. “There is such a wide variety of options, and it’s all for a good cause. It’s not your regular run-of-the-mill poutine.”

Thomson said BBBS is looking forward to the food, but the fundraising aspect is just as important. The organization was hammered by COVID-19 restrictions, which forced the cancellation of their two biggest fundraisers: Bowl for Kids, and the spudnut sale at the Prince Albert Exhibition.

As a result, BBBS has had to tighten their belt to pay staff, train volunteers, and maintain their facilities. However, Thomson is confident they can bounce back and keep serving the community.

“The loss of those events really put us on a tight budget,” Thomson explained. “But, we have made it through, and we are excited to just keep trying new things.”

BBBS needs volunteers to help mentor the 23 children on their waitlist. They currently provide mentorship for 30 families in Prince Albert.

This year marks the first year Prince Albert BBBS has hosted a Poutine Week. The organization’s Saskatoon office began organizing them five years ago.

Thomson said they were so popular they decided to try it in Prince Albert. She’s hoping it will become a mainstay for years to come.

For more information, visit the Big Brothers Big Sisters Facebook page.