EDMONTON, ALBERTA, Canada — If you’re looking for an ideal example of a business giving something back to the community, look no further than the Milbourne Maytag Laundromat. The store owner once again hosted a full Thanksgiving luncheon last week as a way of showing her appreciation to the customers and the community.
Washing and drying were put on hold for a day, as the owner and volunteers cooked for 1,200 of the area’s poor and homeless.
This holiday event, started by the store’s previous owners, has been held 19 times. Volunteers from the Rotary Club and the Filipino Foreign Worker Volunteer Chefs helped prepare the food, and local businesses helped by donating both food and money, although the store picked up much of the bill.
The event attracted at least 200 children, from babies to age 12, says Victoria Ewert, a co-organizer. More new faces are showing up every year instead of less, Ewert adds.
Jeungsun Hwang, the owner, has participated in five of the luncheons. Hwang and her family spent two full days making sure everything ran smoothly. On-duty police officers even stopped by to serve up dinners.
The Laundromat is located in a multicultural community, and in addition to turkey, diners were served ethnic treats such as perogies and cabbage rolls.
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