MIKE ATHEY
BRYSON Oct. 12, 2020
The owner of a local restaurant wasn’t ready to let social distancing measures thwart seniors in her community from enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, so she decided to . . .
bring meals directly to them.
Suzie Pullen, of Suzie’s Diner in Bryson, cooked up a total of 58 meals; they were hand delivered by her mother Jenny Romain, her nephew Matt Lepine and her seven-year-old daughter, Gracie to seniors in the community.
“I know there’s a lot of seniors in town, there’s so many of them,” said Pullen. “I tried to figure out a list with my mom of who we knew … I put them all on the list and we delivered.”
The meals consisting of turkey, homemade buns, stuffing, potatoes, pumpkin or lemon cheesecakes. Most of them were delivered around Bryson, but she invited members from neighbouring communities to come pick-up food for seniors in their areas as well.
Mayor of Portage du Fort, Lynne Cameron made the journey and picked up five meals for seniors in her community. Another eight went to Île du Grand Calumet.
“It’s very inspirational, she’s such a generous woman,” said Cameron.
Cameron said that Pullen had worked all weekend in the diner and took most of her Thanksgiving to cook meals for others. With the help of her mom, they started the prep work on Sunday Oct. 11. and finished off just before 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving afternoon.
“I’m a very last minute person and I like the rush so I kind of wait till the last minute,” admitted Pullen, “But this time I said ‘No I have to get ready.’”
Within 25 minutes of her serving the food, 35 plates had already gone out the door. By 5:20 p.m. they were done and Pullen had begun to set the table for her own Thanksgiving dinner with the family.
Pullen said she’d been inspired by a letter she’d recently received from someone in the community and decided she had to do her part.
“I just figured I had to do something. I mean if you’re not giving, you’re not getting,” said Pullen.
