Friendship Inn to serve up food, fellowship on Christmas Day

Saskatoon’s Friendship Inn is set to serve more than 500 people at its annual Christmas Day meal.

Executive director Sandra Stack said preparations for the meal at the community centre on 20th Street have been underway since last week.

“It takes a village to prepare this meal,” said Stack, adding 400 pounds of potatoes and 70 turkeys will be cooked and served up Monday.

While around 20 volunteers help with the event, Stack credits her dedicated cook for feeding the hungry bellies.

Friendship Inn head cook Dalphine Cadotee inside her kitchen on Dec. 22, 2017. (Brent Bosker/650 CKOM)

“She actually said, ‘if you don’t have me on the schedule for Saturday, I’m coming in because I’m the only one who knows how to carve the turkey,'” Stack chuckled.

It takes Dalphine Cadotee four hours to carve all the turkeys — a craft she’s had a lot of time to perfect.

Cadotee has been the head chef at the Friendship Inn for seven years and admits she likes things a certain way.

“It’s gotta to be done right,” she laughed, showing off her meticulously organized freezer.

Stack said the event is about more than just food; it’s a celebration of gratitude and thanksgiving.

“A few years ago there was a family that unexpectedly broke down and they had no place to go and they came to the Friendship Inn and there were gifts for the children and it was a miraculous day,” she said.

“This is a family here. People come together everyday. People have said its like coming to a different family every day.”

The meal runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and gifts for children will be provided.

Stack said they don’t need any more volunteers for Christmas Day, but donations are accepted year-round.