When Whistler Blackcomb’s $10 Community Meal program returned this fall, it did so with full plates and even fuller hearts.
“It’s really rewarding when you’re walking into a room and there is a bunch of like-minded people,” said Wolfgang Sterr, the resort’s director of food and beverage. “All of a sudden, there’s 260 people showing up for dinner.”
The initiative, launched in the spring after a Whistler Blackcomb town hall, is designed to support locals during the off-season when shifts are scarce. “It was flagged that, ‘what can we do to support our mountain town in the off-season when people are not getting a lot of hours?’” Sterr said.
Partnering with Whistler Community Services Society, the program also donates free tickets to individuals using the food bank. “That way, we’re truly inclusive…” he said.
The fall series runs Thursdays through Nov. 13 at Merlin’s, with menus featuring shepherd’s pie (Oct. 23), burrito bowls (Oct. 30), chicken parmesan (Nov. 6) and lasagna (Nov. 13).
