PLANNING FOR DECEMBER 24.
This is an annual Thank You to all our First Responders. It’s a 10-hour buffet, created by residents, business owners and other shareholders in the 2nd Precinct. 2024 will be the 41st anniversary of the first event, which, I understand, started out as a block club program.
A couple of friends were walking around on Christmas Eve and suddenly realized that they were coming from a house full of family, good food, excitement. But the Second Precinct had all the lights on and heads walking back and forth and phones ringing and cars going in and out of the parking area. People were working in there. Somebody said, “You know, this isn’t right”.
So the next Christmas Eve, neighbors of the Precinct brought a Holiday dinner to the Precinct so the people there didn’t have to miss everything. The bright idea grew over the years until it got to be a deal. This year is the 41st anniversary.
We have only missed one year, 2020, because of COVID, but we were back in business in 2021, thanks to Larry Ranallo, who knew we couldn’t have it at the precinct. There was no place to do social distancing for 150 people in that small building, so Larry offered his Event Room in the Moose Grill and Bar.
Officers came in one precinct shift at a time. They had already been in close contact, so they all ate together but distanced from officers from other areas. We had our event and it’s good.
We solicit donations of food and help only from people and businesses in the Second Precinct. However, any First Responder who is scheduled to work on December 24, who walks in the door, will be welcomed and fed. That includes people from the fire department, the police department, EMTs, and others.
We deliver to the people I call “shut ins” — they are people who can’t leave their stations during their shifts. These are the 911 operators, and others who can’t take time to travel to the 2nd for a meal. That’s fine. On the 24th, we will deliver their food to them.
The event starts at noon, although if somebody comes in early, they will be fed. It ends at 10, but if somebody comes in at 10:30, they’re going to be fed.
We need people to pick up food donations, from Dec. 18th to the 21st, and again on the 23rd and the 24th. Those gifts will be delivered to the kitchen staff at the Moose (356 Monroe St NE) We need drivers to take food to the “shut ins” on the 24th, especially in the middle of the afternoon. It’s best if all drivers have someone riding shotgun and no one goes alone.
We need people to set up the Event Room with our gear, greet the guests as they enter, make sure they sign in, and get them started on the buffet. (Set up starts 8:30-ish. Noon is zero-hour.) Places must be wiped & cleared after every guest. Hosts are scheduled on 2-hour shifts, but you can sign up for as many shifts as you want. We need some people with a little energy to pack up and clear out from 10 PM to done. Usually we’re done in about 45 minutes and just sit and joke around before we head out.
If anyone has a question or suggestion, send it to emilieinmpls@gmail.com
Dinner Plans Continued: We deliver to shut-ins mostly in the afternoon, because most cops are out working then.
QQ: Do we know who’s been contacted and who’s not been contacted? We don’t want to be hitting up multiple people calling the same places.
Quast: Anybody that’s on last year’s list is being contacted, but the 2nd Pct has a couple hundred other restaurants that are very, very good. The point is, if you like it, if it’s food you’d want to brag about, think about contacting them, but DO CHECK WITH ME FIRST. I also don’t want the same place getting multiple requests.
We are trying to tamp down on the sweets this year. Many generous people bring their seasonal goodies to the local Fire Station or Police Precinct. A light dessert is nice at a sit-down event, but we need a few more main entrees.
I have one other thing: I hate food waste. Previous years, I was sending out carry outs for guests to take back to their stations. I suspect some of those gifts weren’t really needed. This year we’re going to send out reasonable amounts.
I have already contacted Second Harvest and they will coordinate with staff at the Moose. Any food that’s left over will be kept safely by the Moose staff until Second Harvest rolls in. They’ll take it to where it’s needed so there will be no waste.
Again, we solicit. If you have a restaurant you want to contact, contact me first. I will tell you if I know someone else already named that contact so we don’t have dups. My goal is to bring these restaurants into the community a little bit more, to create a professional community. We’ve got professional cops. We’ve got professional restaurant owners. Let’s see if we can make connections so we’re all pulling in the same direction.
Again, if you have any questions about what you could do, how you could help, contact me. AND my new email is emilieinmpls@gmail.com
Comment: I know you said to contact you, which I have, Emilie, but I think this might be of broader interest. If we want to make cash donations, what’s the process for that?
Quast: Thank you! Make the check out to: Second Precinct Advisory Council
Mail it to : MPD Second Precinctthe precinct. 1911 Central Ave. Northeast, Minneapolis 55418.
And with that, it’s been a long evening, and I appreciate the hard work you did. Thank you so very, very much. Take care.
2nd Precinct Advisory Council 