For six days last week, Clinton’s Stagecoach Cafe ensured that BC Wildfire crew members fighting the Fiftynine Creek and Pear Lake Wildfires didn’t go hungry.
While BCWS arranged for a cooking crew to come down to Clinton, the Stagecoach Cafe filled the gap, providing the firefighters with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Maria Kosovic, who co-owns the Stagecoach with her son Nicholas, said they wanted to give back to the town and the firefighters who are currently protecting it.
“I felt like I was feeding dozens of my children. We made meals for those who we planned to, but when word started getting around amongst the crews and contract crews, it just started to grow,” Maria said. “At a certain point we lost count, and would just make extras. If there were too many, we could just flag down a crew driving by or send it along with another. It would reach someone who needed it.”
Nicholas explained that initially when the firefighters came to town, they just were looking for good quality food in bulk. He said the Stagecoach was recommended because they are good at making a large amount of food for cheap.
Initially, the Kosovics and their staff were just doing a few firefighters at a time, but as more began to come and order food, they decided to meet their needs. This included opening at 3 a.m. and staying open until 11 p.m., and cooking twice as much food as they usually do.
“Serving the firefighters was an exceptionally tall order. They burn thousands of calories a day doing intense labour near the flames, in the beating sun,” Nicholas said. “Meals need to be substantial, each one at least double the size of an average customer.”
This demand for food meant that each day they were serving the firefighters, Nicholas said their freezers and fridges would fill and then immediately empty by the end of the day. Thankfully, he said members of the community rallied to help support their logistics, bringing them food, offering to help cook and donating snacks to send out with the meals. Nicholas noted that they broke even on the meals and used the donated food to add a little extra.
“We had regular customers offering to postpone their orders for hours so they could unload trucks,” Nicholas said. “This is what Clinton is like. Everyone is stepping up right now.”
Nicholas noted that even the 100 Mile House Food Bank Society helped out with a donation of food. Maria noted that she was devastated early on the first few times they made meals when they ran out of food, noting that things got better as more support came in.
Despite all the extra work it entailed, Maria said it was a rewarding experience. Her personal favourite part was seeing how grateful the firefighters were to enjoy a hot meal at the end of a long day.
“We really got to know a lot of them personally — who was a sweet tooth, who loves jalapeños. It made us sure that they were doing their best work and well fed while they were at it,” Maria said. “They were so hungry. It’s always a great feeling to leave people full and happy. They’re like happy children after a family meal. But they just jump into action and become heroes again, serious and dedicated. We don’t feel uneasy about the fire after seeing them.”
Now that the firefighters have a cooking crew back at their camp to rely on, the Kosovics are winding down their efforts to feed them. Nicholas remarked both he and his mother are incredibly proud of the community for helping make this happen and they’re looking forward to getting a full night of sleep again.
“(We are) glad we could do our part,” Nicholas remarked.
As for his mother, Maria said she wants the firefighters to know she was honoured that they chose to dine with them.
“Please consider us a home where you will be treated like my family,” Maria said. “We’re all cheering for you in Clinton.”