Wayne Gelinas and Lea King have been forced to shutter their Mohawk Trail eatery and go online. But they also have been providing meals to those also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Despite their own challenges during the pandemic, the Wigwam's owners have managed to give back to the community with free Sunday meals
Wayne Gelinas and Lea King have been forced to shutter their Mohawk Trail eatery, at least for the time being. But they have found a way to continue business online while providing free meals to those in need.
"It's important to local businesses to support the community because the community has been there for us in the first place," King said in an email exchange. "The survival of the Wigwam depends on the community and for us, this is our home. This is where Wayne was born and where we decided to retire. If we can help to alleviate some neighbor's concerns and help to solve the hunger issue during the pandemic we know it brings out the best in people."
King said when COVID-19 hit her daughter Emily and her boyfriend Michael, who are recent graduates of Stanford University, decided to shelter in place at the Wigwam. While bunkering down. they came up with the meal program.
"Together they had the brains, the motivation, and the experience," King said. "They decided if they had food on the table, none of the neighbors in North Adams and Florida Mountains would go hungry."
So in April, they began cooking extra food in hopes of helping the community's most vulnerable and those who may be experiencing difficulties finding meals during the pandemic.
The Wigwam Community Meals program is completely voluntary and every Friday, King posts on Instagram and Facebook a reminder that those interested can reserve a meal.
"Anyone who has financial difficulty and is hungry is offered a freshly prepared meal, no
questions asked," she said.
So far the menu has included pasta with meat sauce, chili con carne, Italian sausage stew and garbanzo beans with fresh focaccia bread.
King said they recently partnered with the Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry to distribute donated bread, pastry, and fresh produce. King said they have four volunteer drivers who deliver both the meals and groceries to those at the most risk who are unable to pick up the meals themselves.
As of this weekend, they have served more than 250 meals and have helped 30 families a week.
King said folks can donate here to help support the meals program.
King said this hasn't been without challenges and with the demand for meals and groceries increasing, the Wigwam must also juggle its own financial and operational issues.
"We would like to cook for those in need until we can open the store," she said. "We need to make income ourselves as the funds come from our equity line of credit. The Wigwam is our only source of income and it's a seasonable store."
They purchased the historic property two years ago, settling into the house while refurbishing the historic cabins and landmark gift shop. They added coffees, a cafe and bakery. The rental cabins had been booked this year for local college commencements, weddings and summer events but the novel coronavirus pandemic has meant cancellations and refunded reservations.
King said because they have been unable to open, they changed the way they do business and opened up an online store for their inventory and souvenirs.
"We believe it's survival," she said. "Sadly many small businesses will not survive if they don't pivot their business model. We are not sure if we would make it but we would try everything in our power to hang on to the Wigwam and make it work."
King encouraged people to visit the online store and do whatever they can to support local businesses during these challenging times.
"Local businesses have been part of the fabric in small towns in Western Massachusetts and they will not survive something like COVID-19," King said. "The Wigwam has been a local treasure since 1914 and its survival during the pandemic is up to the community. We brought the Wigwam back to life in 2018 after it sat vacant in a decade. It's already on life support while giving back to the community we love.
"Please help us make it so generations in the future can continue to create memories on the summit and enjoy the view with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine."
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Blue Vista Motor Lodge Brings Hospitality & View to Guests
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
Among the upgrades at the renovated lodge is a sauna to refresh after a day of skiing and hiking.
FLORIDA, Mass. — The Blue Vista Motor Lodge is still bringing hospitality to the town of Florida — even 100 years, many owners, names, and renovations later.
"When we were working on renovation plans, we found a postcard online from 1923 from the Whitcomb Summit Motor Lodge so that's kind of exciting that for over 100 years, people have been coming here and I think you can see why," owner Stella Downie said.
It all started with a small shack on Whitcomb Summit offering souvenirs and drinks that opened up with the highway in 1914. With growing popularity along the scenic byway, small cottages were built for motorists to stay on the Mohawk Trail's highest point.
Unfortunately, in 1938, the store and a restaurant burned and the cottages started to get run down. In the 1960s, the cottages were replaced with the current building, named Whitcomb Summit Lodge.
There were attempts to rejuvenate the summit for tourism over the preceding decades that fell by the wayside — from campgrounds and timeshares to fine dining and condominiums.
Downie purchased the building in December 2021, renovated the lodge in 2022 with a soft opening that fall, and officially opened in early 2023.
"We really wanted to clean it up and make it a beautiful place again for people to come and visit and really highlight the views," she said.
When Downie took over the property, she said it needed fixes and moving around. She took down all of the bordering dilapidated buildings that had long been abandoned, including the shuttered restaurant, to enhance the grounds.
The Blue Vista Motor Lodge is still bringing hospitality to the town of Florida — even 100 years, many owners, names, and renovations later. click for more
In a military career that was built on the foundation of character, integrity, respect and humility, she served from 1979 to 1996. As a cadet at Northeastern University, her ROTC basic training was done at Fort Bragg, N.C.
click for more
The light spring ran didn't stop hundreds of children from darting across lawns and fields to search for treasure in the form of plastic eggs.
click for more
As firefighters brought a structure fire on Pleasant Street under control, police were trying to pin down reports of a drive-by shooting near City Hall. click for more