BROCKVILLE -- Dan Thompson from the Keystorm Pub in Brockville is at it again, this time with a new meal challenge to benefit frontline workers.

"The premise if we can sell 100 meals a day for 10 days, we will give $1,000 away to an essential worker," Thompson said on Saturday outside the pub.

Every customer who orders a take-out meal for regular price will receive a ballot to nominate an essential worker.

"It could be a trucker, it could be a nurse, it could be the grocery store, could be somebody who's covering the news for us for the last year," Thompson said. "Anybody who's got a favourite person who's been taking care of them for the last year or doing their groceries for them or anything like that, please come on down and buy a meal and nominate them."

Last May, Thompson ran a similar challenge, donating gift cards to essential workers when customers bought a gift card after the first lockdown.

"It was so successful that a year later some of those gift cards are still coming in," Thompson said. "I'd like to encourage those people that were given those as a gift to come on down and use them."

The restaurant has already surpassed 200 meals in the first two days, on their way to that 1,000 meals goal.

"We're doing our best to stay positive and stay happy and it's made us get a little more creative and have some fun," Thompson added.

Keystorm Pub

Over at Brockville General Hospital, emergency clerk Bonnie Macleod thinks it's a great promotion.

"He makes me feel so happy and so proud of him and his dedication to this community," Macleod said. "That's how I feel about Dan."

She even ordered take-out on Saturday to nominate someone from the community.

"She works at Pioneer Gas Station on Hwy. 29 and I adore her. She makes my day every time I go in. She makes my husband's day. She's been a happy camper for the whole thing. That's who I'm going to nominate," Macleod added.

"Everybody's excited," added Macleod. "That's what Dan does. Dan does everything for this community. I have so much respect for him coming up with these ideas to make everyone feel a little bit better."

Both promotions have also brought a well needed morale boast for her co-workers, according to Macleod.

"This has perked everybody up and just shows some respect towards nursing and frontline workers, and not just us, grocery store, people that are there all the time," she added.

"I'm not going to lie, a lot of us like to go to the Keystorm after work, so everybody misses it," Macleod said.

Thompson adds that keeping the local economy going is also a key of this initiative

"We'd really like to encourage people to come on downtown, you can still book appointments to do curbside pickup at the other retailers that are around," Thompson said.

"Whether it's here at the Keystorm or any other restaurant any other retailer, please support our small businesses. They are the fabric that will keep our communities going."

The Keystorm Pub

The challenge is also happening at Thompson's other restaurant in Smiths Falls, the Lockmaster's Taphouse.

"We have a little inter-challenge going on between the management team so we're really looking forward to see it. We'd love to see both of them succeed that way we get to make two peoples day," he said.

Thompson said the past six months have been a rollercoaster of emotion. During the second lockdown on Dec. 26, he decided to close the pub until the restrictions were lifted.

"We just got the doors open, got through St. Patty's Day, which was nice to be able to have of course, but this time the staff did not want to laid off again or be at home," he added.

If this challenge is successful, there are already plans for another one in the near future.

"The talk about it so far is that we'll let people perhaps nominate a charity in the area," Thompson said. "So whether it be the food bank, the Winter Classic Committee, things like that. Big Brothers Big Sisters, all of those organizations haven't been able to have their golf tournaments, any other fundraising unless it could be online so anybody we can help out we'll be happy to help."

For now the focus is on meeting the 1,000 meals goal, which runs until April 18.

"There's been so many frontline workers that have not only worked through it all but been supporting businesses like ours, so thank you everybody for everything that you've done," Thompson said.

You can place your order at the Keystorm Pub by calling 613-345-0404, or at the Lockmaster's Taphouse in Smiths Falls at 613-205-0448.