Dishing up hot meals for truck drivers a way to show 'deepest appreciation,' says Salvation Army

Volunteers at the Salvation Army are renewing their efforts to provide hot meals to truck drivers finding it hard to access some services on Newfoundland and Labrador's roads.

The Salvation Army first started the effortin March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, serving more than 2,600 meals between March and June to drivers coming on and off the ferries in Port aux Basques.

It's a project that has restarted now that the province finds itself back in Alert Level 5, and some restaurants and rest stops have closed or limited services, with some drivers sayinglife on the road is getting tougher.

"Some places will let us walk in to get food and coffee and stuff like that, other places will not," driverAdam Leytetold CBC News last week. "We've already lost access to a lot of washroom facilities."

After hearing about the need for a hot meal, and a conversation with the provincial government,Salvation Army Maj. Rene Loveless said a team of volunteers came together quickly to reopen thecommercialkitchen at thePort aux Basques church building, where they started putting together thefirst meals on Sunday.

"The first meal today is a turkey dinner with all the trimmings," Lovelesssaid Sunday.

"The thing about it is these meals are always very hearty and substantial. We want the truckers to really enjoy these meals, and certainly be encouraged by what we're doing. We see this as a way of showing our deepest appreciation for the essential service that they're providing to our province at such a time as this."

On Friday, Health Minister John Haggiesaiddrivers "are not our enemy" and are providing an essential service.

Loveless said this year's meal team came together quickly after the move to Alert Level 5, following a conversation with the provincial government about the need to support those working on the roads in the province.

"By helping the truckers, we do feel that we're really helping all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who rely on the service that they provide. We truly appreciate what the truckers are doing through this pandemic," he said.

Loveless said the team of more than 50 volunteers have put in over 3,300hours into the effort since the start of the pandemic. The amount of meals volunteers serve varies from day to day, Loveless said, as they workwith Marine Atlantic to figure out how many truck drivers are booked on each crossing.

"We never ran out of meals. We came very close sometimes to using up each and every meal that we prepared, but we certainly were able to meet the need each and every time."

He said meals will continue for as long as there is a need for them, and he hopes they can keep stomachs full and spirits highas truck drivers continue to provide an essential service.

"We did hear a lot of wonderful feedback last year on how much it meant to the truckers, and also members of their families to know they were being taken care of in this way. And that's a good thing," he said.

"As long as the need is there that's what we plan to do."

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