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SUPERIOR — Diners descended in droves on The Kitchen restaurant Thursday, Dec. 8, drawn by the promise of a prime rib lunch and the chance to help the community.
Some well-known servers waited on them — Superior Police Chief Nicholas Alexander, Superior Fire Chief Scott Gordon, Douglas County Sheriff Tom Dalbec and incoming sheriff, Detective Matt Izzard — during the restaurant’s annual lunchtime charity drive.
Tips collected during the two-hour event went to area nonprofits. This year, the celebrity servers brought in $1,500. It was split evenly between the fire department’s Toys for Tots program and the Richard I. Bong American Legion Post 435 Honor Guard.
This was the eighth time owners Ed and Teresa Flood have held the event. For Dalbec and Gordon, it will be their last as both are retiring at the end of the year.
Teresa Flood said the event brought in a larger crowd than usual. A number of people who stopped by earlier in the day but couldn’t make it back for lunch dropped off donations as well.
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“We’ve got a lot of good people,” Flood said.
It wasn’t all work. There was a lot of laughter behind the counter. Izzard stood with a pencil and meal ticket, attempting to tally up the tax and tip. The incoming sheriff was a manager at Grizzlies before joining law enforcement.
“You can’t tell,” said server Amanda Stovern.
Flood split the dining area into four sections, giving Izzard just three tables.
“Because he’s new,” she said.
Dalbec sprayed down tables and brought out coffee, stopping behind the till to chat with the owners and staff. He remembers when the event started. Initially held in October, it was later moved to the holiday season. In addition to serving, Dalbec said he did a little detective work.
“I found the bag of candy,” he said, reaching for a piece.
Alexander, too, has been a regular at the event.
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“Obviously, it’s a great opportunity to generate some money for some local nonprofits or charities that can use the help,” the police chief said, and it fits the department’s community policing philosophy. “Getting out and having positive contacts with people, and not just the adversarial ones. It helps everybody see the human side of officers.”
Gordon said one of the diners paid for her $13 lunch and left a $100 tip for Toys for Tots.
“That’s what this is all about,” he said.
Flood appreciated the work the celebrity servers put in, but told them not to quit their day jobs.
“I can’t make heads or tails of these men’s math,” she said.
