Just me ‘n’ u for Thanksgiving

The Schooner’s fund-raising bill of fare supports food bank

By Emily Lindblom

For the TODAY

Columbia River Steelhead Terrine

The Schooner Restaurant & Lounge’s annual Thanksgiving benefit for the Oregon Food Bank — Tillamook County Services looks a little different this year.

Customers will have the opportunity to participate in raising funds through the whole month of November rather than the usual day-of Thanksgiving event the restaurant has hosted for the past 12 years. 

General Manager Lexie Fields said this allows Schooner employees to have the opportunity to be with their families and friends during the holiday, which they couldn’t necessarily do during last year’s COVID-19 travel restrictions. 

“These last two years have been brutal on restaurant staff all over the world and we felt it was our obligation to take care of our own Schooner family this season,” Fields said. “The decision to not host the event this year was difficult for us to make, so we came up with the solution to run a specialty menu for the entire month of November where 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of those items would go directly to the Food Bank.”

The specialty menu items include a Columbia River Steelhead Terrine; Roasted Winter Squash with Oregon hazelnuts, gingered cherries, fried onions and Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue crème fraîche; Nehalem River Ranch Wood Fired Meatball Pizza with NRR house-ground ribeye and New York strip meatballs, roasted bell peppers, onion and mozzarella; seasonal cheesecake; and a pumpkin martini with house-infused pumpkin vodka, fresh whipped cream and a graham cracker rim.

“We are confident that running this type of month-long fundraiser will reach a broader audience who may not have been aware of our ‘one day only’ Thanksgiving event or simply stop by for a cup of chowder after hiking Cape Lookout and see that by adding a slice of cheesecake to their order they are contributing to a great cause, making this a win-win for us all,” Fields said. “Altruism is a pretty darn good feeling.”

Mis Carlson-Swanson, manager of the Tillamook County Food Bank, said all the funds are kept local and go toward helping the organization purchase and distribute food to those in need. 

“This is the biggest local fundraiser for us,” Carlson-Swanson said. “We have people who live in Tillamook County who experience food insecurity, and having the funds to continue to have food flowing is important at all times, especially in the midst of a pandemic and housing crisis.”

She added that The Schooner has done an amazing job. 

The annual Thanksgiving benefit began 12 years ago when employees, friends and family members gathered together for a meal, affectionately referred to as "orphan Thanksgiving.”

Customers would constantly inquire if the restaurant would be open for business on the holiday.

“Tommy Flood, (The Schooner’s previous general manager who passed away in January, 2018) didn't want to turn anyone away, but also didn't want it to become a ‘for-profit’ business day, so the idea of creating a benefit and donating the proceeds to our local food bank came to be,” Fields said. “It just fit into our wheelhouse of supporting local community and it made sense to us.” 

The donation-based, volunteer and staff-run event featured traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner fare with a gourmet flair. Guests were asked to contribute to the fundraiser if they were able to give, but no one was turned away from receiving a meal on that day regardless of their ability to pay. 

In 2020, despite COVID restrictions that prohibited in-person dining, The Schooner still held the event, with take-away-only meals for customers to pick up at reserved times just as if they were showing up for their reservation on that day. 

“We were so afraid of not having any participation and it ended up being our most successful year to date,” Fields said. 

In her first year at The Schooner in 2014, Fields recalls the benefit raising a little more than $5,000. Fast forward six years later, 2020’s take-away meals raised more than $28,000. 

“It chokes me up every time I think about what a testament to our community that is and what is possible when we work as a collective,” Fields said. “In these times of such divisiveness it really does give me hope.”

Carlson-Swanson said she appreciates the restaurant staff's creativity and willingness to try something new this year. 

“They’ve been doing this for many years and this is the employees’ year to spend the holidays with their friends and families,” she said. “They could have chosen to take it off but I appreciate that they’re doing both — spending time with family and also keeping the fundraiser going.”

Carlson-Swanson herself has already made plans to sit out on The Schooner’s expansive covered deck with friends this month and have a fun dining experience while raising money for the Food Bank. 

She said she’s thankful for The Schooner staff and their commitment to putting this on year after year. 

In addition to ordering the specialty menu items, The Schooner is also accepting donations on behalf of the Food Bank by credit card over the phone, as well as cash or check in person or via mail. 

Offshore Bar and Grill in Manzanita has joined The Schooner’s efforts in raising funds and Fields said she’s hopeful more restaurants will reach out as well.

“Not everyone has to offer a full specialty menu as we are doing, even just one menu item, an appetizer or a cocktail special will produce tremendous results,” Fields said. “And it's a cool look for your establishment!” 

For more information, go to theschooner.net, email general@theschoonerrestaurantlounge.com or call 503-815-9900.