saskatchewan cook fights winter blues with sandwich-making spree
3 minute read
felicia fox takes a short break from making sandwiches on jan. 20, 2025, in saskatoon, saskatchewan. (julia peterson/saskatoon starphoenix).
felicia fox knows january in saskatoon can be a hard time of year. the days are short, it’s freezing outside and the holiday season is quickly receding in the rearview mirror.
while there’s no way to bring the sunshine back early, fox has found her own way to share light, warmth and optimism: on monday, she and a group of volunteers gathered to make hundreds upon hundreds of sandwiches, filling up the riversdale community fridge and sharing the bounty with other organizations.
“i care deeply about feeding people; that’s my life’s purpose and my love language,” said fox, who owns a food company in the city and has been a longtime supporter of the riversdale community fridge.
“i believe, when we have proper nutrition, we are able to be supported in our mind as well as in our body — and this is my way of supporting the community with proper nutrition.
“sandwiches are fun. they’re balanced, they’re easy to transport, everybody loves them. you can put anything in a sandwich, they’re easy to grab and they fit into the fridge.”
this was no ‘plain cheese on dry toast’ kind of operation. the sandwich station was packed with donations of peanut butter and jam, egg and tuna salad, vegetables, meats and bottles, jars and tubs of condiments.
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“our lady who’s doing the labeling says she’s had to write so many ingredients — we’re labeling every sandwich, in case of allergies as well as likes and dislikes — that it’s like gourmet sandwiches,” fox said.
volunteers gather at the royal canadian legion #63 in saskatoon on jan. 20, 2025 to make hundreds of sandwiches for the city’s community fridges and organizations. (julia peterson/saskatoon starphoenix)
fox knew she wouldn’t be able to fill the fridge on her own, so she put out a call, asking saskatonians with time and sandwich-making skills to come down to the legion and lend a hand.
even on a frigid monday morning, as wind-chills plunged below 50 c, dozens of people showed up to prep, pack, label and deliver bags full of sandwiches all over the city.
“i’m not surprised people showed up. i knew we’d have a good turnout, because there are so many people that care,” fox said. “they just need a place to put their care, and this was an easy, practical way to help.
“i’m so happy to see how people have come together. i feel enlivened.”
one of the volunteers was sherri wallace, who took charge of recording attendance and donations at the door.
being a part of this sandwich-making bonanza brought some much-needed cheer to a cold winter’s day for her and her fellow volunteers as much as for the people who would enjoy the food later on.
“it absolutely affects the way you feel. doing something for someone else will always make you feel better, so i feel fantastic,” wallace said as the team passed the 500-sandwich mark.
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“people are excited to be here, and seeing all these sandwiches go out the door over and over again is such a great thing to see.”
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