Whitehorse firefighters have served up a $2,000 miracle for the Yukon Literacy Coalition.
Earlier in the summer, a generator was stolen from the S.S. Culinary, a food truck operated by the Literacy Coalition. The profits generated from the truck are funnelled back into supporting programs run by the non-profit, said David Martin, program coordinator. The Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society got in touch shortly after, and said they’d be able to contribute $2,000 towards a replacement.
He said the replacement generator will cost around $7,000.
“I think with this funding, it kind of solidifies that we will be getting that second generator, basically for the start of the next food trailer, food truck season,” said Martin.
The S.S. Culinary made its debut in downtown Whitehorse this past summer, Martin said.
Initially, the truck had a playful sourdough theme for Whitehorse customers: sourdough pancakes, for example, although Martin said the theme later switched over to sandwiches to appeal to a lunch crowd.
At the end of the season, however, as the team was ready to put the truck into storage for the winter, they noticed something was missing: one of the truck’s generators, said Martin.
“They were locked on the trailer and bolted down. But whoever took it definitely knew what they were doing, and probably had two or three people to help them,” said Martin.
“From there, I reported it stolen and reached out to the community,” said Martin.
The food truck season had already wrapped up, the stolen generator didn’t pose too much of a risk to operations, but it did prevent the food truck from going into full capacity when the team took it to Whitehorse schools for tours, said Martin.
The new generator should be ordered at some point in the new year ahead of the food truck season, said Martin.
Next year holds exciting voyages for the S.S. Culinary, said Martin. The food truck will now not only generate funds for the Yukon Literacy Coalition, but also serve as a training program for those who want to learn how to work with food, he said.
The food truck also will be developing some new menu items, courtesy of a chef with a background in Korean cooking.
The S.S. Culinary will also be on the road, serving food to communities outside of Whitehorse.
“It's definitely going to be revamped and amped up for this coming summer,” said Martin.
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
