Christmas arrived a little early for over 200 residents in the Tillsonburg area.
The first takeout-style Flippin’ Bosses Christmas – put together by Melodie Boyle of Boss Leaf and Mike Jourdy of Flippin’ Mike’s Restaurant in Tillsonburg – was a huge success.
“Nobody’s going to go unfed tonight,” said Jourdy, who spent most of his time cooking but took quick breaks outside now and then.
Staff and volunteers inside Flippin’ Mike’s set up an assembly line to quickly and safely pack turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and mixed veggies into takeout containers. They were then sent out to folks waiting at a safe distance for their meals or the volunteer drivers.
“We had four to six (turkeys) in the oven at a time, two ovens,” said Jourdy. “I think everyone really appreciated the gesture.”
“It was well worth it. I’d do it again, without a doubt. This community has supported me since I opened, so it’s good to give back.”
Ninety minutes after the event kicked off at 4 p. m., they were still sending out meals, including one large order for ten meals.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said volunteer Cheryl Mc Farlane from Woodstock, mentioning that they had employees, different business owners along with their families, customers, and Unifor members all helping out.
“No connection other than their desire to help other people. That’s pretty cool.”
Jourdy confirmed that over 200 meals were distributed based on how many takeout containers were used. Melodie Boyle and Mike Jourdy (on the right) organized the first Flippin’ Bosses Christmas Eve event in Tillsonburg. More than 200 Christmas dinners and hundreds of toys were given to those in need. (Chris Abbott/Norfolk Tillsonburg News)
The snow added to the festive vibe of the event, according to volunteer Brenda Phillips; however, it might have kept some people from coming out in wintry weather.
Volunteers from Unifor Local 1859 gave their time to deliver meals.
Rhonda and Leo Ford, two of eight Unifor family volunteers who showed up ready to drive but ended up spending most of their time inside helping package food.
“We were supposed to (deliver),” said Leo Ford. “We came in to get a delivery and they were swamped, so we just pitched in.”
Boyle coordinated the presents and estimated she handed out more than 200 toys while also assisting with food distribution.
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“In the beginning, it didn’t seem like that big of a deal to us but seeing how overwhelmed and grateful people were made it worth it. Every single person in here worked their butt off tonight and it was all worth it.”
“We couldn’t have done it without everyone – this was a community thing. This wasn’t about Mike and I; this was about everyone. It was like a well-oiled machine.”
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