Holiday tradition returns to Sykes'
Sykes’ Restaurant brings back its free Thanksgiving Day dinner with all the trimmings from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 25.
A tradition that former owners Doug and Judy Wise started decades ago, the Sykes’ dinner brings together people of all ages and incomes to enjoy a meal served by volunteers and made possible by donations of food and cash from the community.
New Sykes’ owner Ray Thompson has construction of a restaurant addition in overdrive to open up the new sunny space for the community celebration. He and members of his family will help with the meal.
Jayson Peters, Sykes’ manager, expects to serve 1,000 people in the restaurant and to home-deliver 200 to 250 meals. He said the challenge comes in feeding people in shifts beginning at 11 a.m. until the last shift starting at 2 p.m.
“We’ll have seating for 225 at a time,” he said.
As of midweek, Peters still needed donations of turkeys and hams. He asks that people make a cash donation or purchase a 20 to 25-pound tom turkey or a 12 to 14-pound boneless pit ham. Donations may be dropped off from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through Nov. 17 at the restaurant, located on the corner of Second Avenue West and Second Street West in Kalispell.
“Any leftover food will be donated to local charities,” Peters said.
People may send cash donations to Sykes’ at 202 Second Avenue W., Kalispell MT 59901.
According to Peters, several local groups have agreed to make food donations including St. Matthews Catholic Church and the Salvation Army. The Christian Center has offered use of its commercial kitchen for extra food preparation.
Peters said he could use more volunteers, particularly for the food preparation in the week before the feast. Many people want to serve, but the massive meal requires lots of behind-the-scenes help such as peeling a mountain of potatoes.
“The Salvation Army has donated 700 pounds of potatoes,” he said.
The dinner also requires manpower for setup, plating food, busing tables, dishwashing, cleanup and delivery of meals to people with mobility problems. Those who would like a dinner delivered need to make a request before 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24.
Along with mashed potatoes, the Thanksgiving menu includes turkey, ham, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, various relishes and pumpkin pies.
“We think we will go through 150 pumpkin pies,” Peters said.
He said that quite a few people have offered to make pies at home, but he wants to avoid health regulation conflicts by seeking donations from a source with a commercial kitchen.
For more information about volunteering or to request a home-delivered meal, contact Denise Houtz, the front house manager at Sykes’, at 257-4306.
Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.