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Mikey's bar in Plover Gives free holiday meal |
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Mikey's bar in Plover Gives free holiday meal
By Nicole Strittmater • Journal staff • December 26, 2008
Plover residents Fred, 70, and Marilyn Ellis, 65, will have their family Christmas next week, so that left Christmas Day open.
Instead of staying at home with nothing to do Thursday, the couple celebrated at Mikey's Bar and Grill in Plover with a free holiday meal.
Owner Mike Masgay said he wanted to provide a meal for people who would otherwise be away from family.
"Originally, it was intended (for) people that are a little more needy this time of year. Then we started thinking, 'I know the economy is rough, but I think a better niche would be to go after people that may be spending holidays alone or are new to the area or may be living by themselves,'" Masgay said.
The restaurant opened specifically for the meal from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, and about 12 staff and family members volunteered to help serve.
"I think it's a beautiful idea," Fred Ellis said. "There's not too many people that would go out of their way to provide a Christmas dinner on Christmas."
This is the first year the restaurant has been in Plover, and Masgay said he wanted to reach out into the community and build relationships. He wasn't sure how many people would show up but made sure to make plenty of food -- ham, potatoes, pumpkin pie and more.
"We just want people to show up and have fun," he said.
Twenty-year-old John Doro is a server at Mikey's and told his family in Berlin that this he was going to stay in Stevens Point to volunteer.
"I think that the (idea) that Mike did was a great thing, and I wanted to assist him and make this thing work," he said.
Mikey's service manager, Olivia Eighmy, 20, of Stevens Point, volunteered Thursday and asked her family to do the same. Throughout the afternoon, her family members trickled in to help.
Her sister Hannah, 21, is visiting from Colorado and said this year is different than the usual Christmas Day of watching movies and eating, but she wanted to do her part.
"We don't have a lot of volunteer stuff where I live, so it's nice to be doing something," she said.
Olivia Eighmy said Christmas is all about family.
"I really wanted my family to be here," she said. "People will see us and feel like family here."
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