Eatery finds new way to feed people for holidays
Glenn Kersh and Ling-Feng Tang, the owners of the Peppermill Restaurant in Evans, served turkey dinners to benefit Golden Harvest Food Bank.
Photo by Jim BlaylockSome business co-owners in Evans developed a unique way to help the needy during the holidays.
Ling-Feng Tang and Glenn Kersh, owners of The Peppermill in Evans, decided to donate profits from Monday's lunch to the Golden Harvest Food Bank to help feed hungry people in our area during the holidays.
Kersh's original idea was to volunteer to prepare or serve food at the food bank on Thanksgiving or cook a few turkeys to donate.
"That idea steamrollered into something much bigger," Kersh said.
According to Wayne Waldrop, communications and events coordinator for the food bank, 176,000 families were fed last year with 8.3 million pounds of food. The owners decided to donate money instead of food or services once they found out all monetary donations get multiplied by seven to purchase food. So $1 can buy $7 worth of food, Waldrop said.
The owners decided to close the cash register during a special Thanksgiving lunch menu Monday that included turkey, stuffing, gravy, green beans, cranberry relish, rolls and dessert, all made from scratch by the kitchen team at The Peppermill at 4465 Washington Road in front of the Wal-Mart Supercenter. Guests came in to dine, but were not charged for the meal. They made a donation to the food bank instead.
In three hours and after 139 lunches were served, The Peppermill raised $1,425.75 to donate, with which the food bank can purchase almost $10,000 worth of food. Most customers paid at least $10 each. One even wrote a check for $150, Tang said.
"We are very happy with that," Tang said.
Even the servers donate all their tips from the day.
"It is only one day," said Theresa Ragland, a server at The Peppermill.
Waldrop was amazed that the servers would give up tips, which are actually part of their income.
"That is amazing," Waldrop said. "The donation is really going to help out because there is never a shortage of demand for food."
Ragland has participated in previous fundraising efforts the owners have held at previous establishments. After the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, Tang closed the register for an entire week, all guests ate free except for the donations made straight to Sept. 11 charities.
"We do something every year," Tang said.