Yellowknife women strike again with third annual holiday tip of $1,000
CBC
It's a good thing Jonny Vu wasn't able to give up his shift as a server at the Woodyard Brewhouse & Eatery last Thursday as he had hoped.
Vu served a table of 10 women that night who, after paying for their meal and leaving a tip, gave him a card they had each signed.
"I looked inside the card and there is $1,000 cash," he said. "It was super overwhelming. I had no idea how to react. Yeah, it was just very, like, speechless."
The card came from a group of women who have gotten together for a meal during the holidays since 2019, and given $1,000 as a gift to their server.
"It's one of those things I look forward to most now, " said Amanda Lalonde, one of the women in the group.
"It's become sort of a tradition to start the holiday season, to get in the Christmas spirit for myself, and I know my family gets excited to watch me go and wants to hear all about it when I get home."
The women — all moms who want to set a good example for their kids — chip in $100 each and choose a restaurant at random.
Lalonde said the idea began when one of her friends, Brandy Arychuk Smith, suggested on a Facebook post that moms get together and organize some way of giving back to the community.
The goal, Lalonde said, is to make the Christmas season special for someone else.
"It's just something to make us feel good in this holiday season. It is the season of giving, so anything that we can do to contribute feels good for us and hopefully feels good for the recipients."
She said many of the women in the group give in other ways as well, during the holiday season and throughout the year.
"So I think it's just a part of our nature."
As for Vu, he said the money means a lot to him.
After receiving it, he chatted with the women, thanked them and then went into the bar fridge to call his girlfriend.