The Crossing at Ghost River is closed, but they are not standing still.

On Apr. 9, their executive chef Doug Ghanam delivered the first of many freshly prepared free meals to people in need and will continue to do so as long as they are closed through the pandemic.

General manager Jori Guetg says this grassroots endeavor is one of the initiatives they've undertaken while their operation is closed.

He says the parent company, Coril Holdings Ltd., has been understanding and kept the entire staff employed during the pandemic.

"While we all may be feeling a sense of loss of freedom, some members of our community who already face barriers like poverty, homelessness and social isolation need our help more now than ever," he says.

He says they reached out to assists organizations with whom they have existing relationships. That includes several veteran organizations that regularly use their facilities. They are also working with Helping Hands here in Cochrane.

The company is covering the cost of the meals and was aided in part by a cheesecake fundraiser within the company that raised $1,550. 

They started by preparing 40-plus meals each week. That's since been ramped up to approximately 100 individual meals, 100 containers of soup and 20 food hampers per week.

"We'll definitely continue this program until we're back in operations," says Guetg. "At this point in time, it will be early July before we start operating again, if we can."

The Crossing at the Ghost River is located 25 km northwest of Cochrane on Hwy. 40. It offers corporate and personal retreats, on-site meetings, special events, weddings, and family programs.