Brockville, Ont. restaurant announces winners in curbside charity challenge

Brockville Mayor Jason Baker pulls the winning ticket for the $1000 prize in the Curbside Charity Challenge. (Nate Vandermeer / CTV News Ottawa)

BROCKVILLE, ONT. — The Keystorm Pub in Brockville announced the winners of its curbside charity challenge on Tuesday, a challenge that far exceeded expectations.

"We set out to aim for 1,000 meals in 10 days and we ended up with 1,517 meals in ten days," said Keystorm Pub owner Dan Thompson.

Customers who ordered a meal at full price over the 10-day period could nominate an essential worker, whose name would be entered into a draw to win $1000.

"We hinged it on a dollar per meal so, when we broke the 1000 mark, we sent out to everybody we would continue along because we still had two days to go. We ended up with another 517 meals so we ended up giving away a second prize today for 500 dollars," Thompson said.

Brockville Mayor Jason Baker was on hand to pull the winning tickets on Tuesday.

Along with the two cash prizes, eight other names were also drawn for gift cards for Keystorm Pub and Gabriel Pizza.

"It was fantastic, to be honest with you," said Thompson after the draw. "It was just nice to hear the stories of why they were nominating certain people. Whether it would be at the grocery store, the gas station or at the hospital or a caregiver taking care of somebody's parents."

"It was very inspiring to hear it and see it firsthand, and see the emotion in people's faces and hear it in their voices when they told us their stories it was absolutely inspiring," Thompson added.

The meal challenge is also running at the Lockmaster's Taphouse in Smiths Falls. Wednesday is the final day.

"I'd just like to say thank you to everybody and I'd really like to encourage people to go out and get their shot," Thompson added. "Let's get these doors back open and get back to what might be the new normal, but a lot more normal."

"I really encourage everybody to stay safe and be happy and just stay positive and go out and perform some act of random kindness in the next few days," he added.

List of winners

$1000 - Brad McIlvenna

$500 - Megan Moore

Cookies - Rob Bowman

$100 Gabriel Pizza - Brenda Thompson

$100 Gabriel Pizza - Johnna Moore

$25 Keystorm - Jenn Brouwer

$25 Keystorm - Cass Towe

$25 Keystorm - Tammy Malone

$25 Keystorm - Cassie Croff

$25 Keystorm - Ellen Gleason