Amidst these times of prolonged social isolation, a sense of much-needed community can be lost. Nevertheless, it is easy to see how Stacey Jones and Philip Mockler have helped reinstate a feeling of unity in our own community.
Jones, the general manager of a local AppleBee’s in Venice, and Mockler, a deputy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s department and vice president of My Warriors Place, a non-for-profit organization that runs programs and events to support local veterans in Sarasota, successfully spearheaded drive-thru events Saturday Apr. 11 at the Applebee’s in Venice and Saturday Apr. 25 at the Braves stadium. These drive-thru events were hosted to serve free meals to first-responders, medical workers, veterans and teachers.
The drive-thru idea began when Publix donated uncooked chicken to My Warriors Place. From there, Mockler decided to contact Jones to facilitate a drive-thru, also coordinating with several other restaurants. Within less than a week’s time, they received food from Walmart, Outback Steakhouse, Chili’s, Carrabba’s, Italianos, Big Mike’s Pizza, Gold Rush BBQ, Bocca Lupo, the Braves Stadium and, of course, AppleBee’s.
Jones was especially appreciative of the volunteers. He said,“You walk around and you see the volunteers, they are a part of something special. They’re never going to forget this, so during a time of crisis they came and helped out and made a difference.”
Volunteers involved spanned from some of Jones’ team workers, volunteers from My Warriors Place, Facebook friends, and even regular customers at AppleBee’s. To set up, the volunteers arrived at 10 a.m., and the event lasted from 11 to 1 p.m.
“The first event we did, we had 200 [people], but then we took the leftover food and fed hospitals and stations,” Jones said.
This turnout was much higher than expected. Mockler was only expecting about 75 people to show up.
With the intention of feeding 500 more people at their next drive-thru Apr. 25, the group of volunteers ended up surpassing their goal and provided free meals for around 800 people. Despite having to reach out to more restaurants for more food, Jones testified to the generosity of the community.
“I’ve been in Venice now and the general manager for five years, and I’ve worked in a lot of different communities, and this is by far the best community I’ve worked in. Nobody ever says no, they are all willing to step up to the plate to help out. It’s truly amazing,” Jones said.
Similarly, Jones and Mockler described how fortunate they were to have a community that can support other people.
“Everybody can lean on each other. It’s phenomenal. It gives you a sense of calm, it gives you a sense of relief, and people just want to be a part of something special and help out,” Jones said.
Rachel Wrobleski, a worker at the Venice Applebee’s who had volunteered at both events said, “It was very heartwarming. I mean, you had a lot of teachers that came in, and unfortunately, I don’t think they’re getting enough credit right now during this, especially having to teach online and not having to be with all their students.”
Mockler reflects on his own experiences and involvements with My Warriors Place, which has given him motivation to carry out events like the drive-thru.
“I’d say, because I’m in the military… we have a thing called the brotherhood and sisterhood, where we take care of each other and continue to do it in the civilian world,” Mockler said.
The experiences gained from these events had not only impacted families in need, but also the volunteers that made them possible.
“I’ve learned to be grateful for what you have in front of you, and just cherish time. A lot of these nurses, doctors — they’re not getting a lot of time to be with their families. So, to come out and be able to get a meal — they probably don’t have the time to eat a home-cooked meal. And so, for us to be doing this for them, I think the take away is to cherish time,” Wrobleski said.
Mockler emphasizes how thankful he is to all local businesses and volunteers that have joined arms in conducting both drive-thru events.
In light of the events’ success, Jones and Mockler plan to reach more people by hosting another drive-thru event this Saturday, May 2. The event is located at the Venice Applebee’s, 4329 S Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL 34293, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.