Hoot Owl Cafe to host Thanksgiving dinner for all

PONDERAY — When Savannah Mort started her soup kitchen seven years ago, it was because her husband had wanted to volunteer at one with the family for his birthday. Mort, whose mother Wendy Hansen Franck owns the Hoot Owl Cafe, had an even better idea.

“I just asked my mom if we could use the Hoot Owl,” Mort said. “She said yes.”

About a year later, the family decided to host a free Thanksgiving dinner for the community at the restaurant. Since then, the family has run the soup kitchen and Thanksgiving dinners through the Hoot Owl Hansen Franck said.

“That’s what they wanted for their birthdays, they just wanted a commitment that they could keep using the restaurant,” she said. “I’m super proud. It’s a huge undertaking, and I didn’t know it would keep going.”

The Thanksgiving dinner, and the soup kitchen, is for everyone, Mort said. Some people are homeless, and some are not — but it’s no questions asked.

“It’s not just homeless people, it’s for everybody. Savannah has always wanted it to be like a restaurant experience for people because not everyone can afford that,” Hansen Franck said. “To sit down and be waited on, and be honored.”

Both the soup kitchen and the Thanksgiving dinner bring in people from all walks of life, Hansen Franck said. There are individuals who come by themselves, families and older people.

In addition to food prepared by Hansen Franck, the Thanksgiving dinner and soup kitchens give people a place to go if they don’t have anywhere else.

“It’s kind of like sharing a family meal,” she said. “They just really need the comfort more than anything.”

The dinner is paid for by a combination of donations from locals and funds from the Hoot Owl, Hansen Franck said. Her daughter does all the organizing, and Hansen Franck helps in the kitchen.

“It’s Savannah’s project,” she said. “I get a lot of credit for it.”

Mort, Hansen Franck and around eight volunteers will serve a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings, Mort said.

“We’re just serving a traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread and pie,” she said. “This year we’re planning for a lot more.”

The restaurant is also making to-go orders this year in addition to socially distanced sit-down meals, Mort said.

They’re also planning for more people as residents experience financial setbacks from COVID-19, she said.

“We’re going to plan for 500 [meals],” Hansen Franck said. “5th Avenue [restuarant] is closed, and a lot of older people went there … Hopefully, we will have enough. I usually make 10% more than I think I’ll need.”

The dinner will be held at the Hoot Owl Cafe, 30784 Highway 200 in Ponderay, on Thanksgiving day from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. with to-go meals available. For more information, call (208) 818-7347.