Regulars describe the eatery’s owner as “an angel” who cares more about others than profit.
By Mark LaFlamme
Staff Writer

AUBURN – Tammy Hewison does not want anyone to be hungry or lonely on Thanksgiving Day. She doesn’t want anyone to feel they are being given a handout, either.

At The Slamma on Mill Street, Hewison and her volunteers try to make strangers a part of their family as they dish out free holiday meals.

“The restaurant has a homey feel to it. Every talks to everyone. Everything is festive and musical,” Hewison said. “It’s like going home.”

For the past four years, Hewison has been providing free dinner to anyone who wanders in on Thanksgiving. She does the same on Christmas and on other occasions when someone is hungry and can’t afford a decent meal.

“It’s not just about the holidays. If someone comes in and they need food, we feed them,” Hewison said. “If I was ever in that position, that’s how I’d want to be treated.”

The past has shown Hewison to be generous. When an apartment building burned near the Mill Street restaurant in 2002, Hewison provided shelter and food to those left homeless. She made sure everyone involved in battling the blaze had warm beverages and a place to step in out of the cold.

Not long after that, she organized a spaghetti dinner to raise money for a boy who needed bone marrow tests.

“She’s a kind soul. She’s an angel,” said Andrew Marsh, a regular customer at the Slamma. “She helps everybody she can. She’s got a big heart.”

Now another Thanksgiving is here. Hewison has stocked up with 10 turkeys, a couple hams, roast pork and “every dessert known to man.”

“We end up sending everybody home with food,” Hewison said.

Dinner begins at 1 p.m. Area homeless people may stop by if other shelters and churches are full, Hewison suspects. Struggling families or children who’s parents are away may come through the door. The Slamma is often a Thanksgiving home to elderly widows who have no families to visit.

“God has a way of sending us the people who need food,” Hewison said. “It’s a delight to see all the people come in. Nobody wants to be alone on the holiday.”

Last year, a group of truckers who got stranded in Auburn found their way to the Slamma. They were mystified that they were not expected to pay for dinner.

“If someone insists on making a donation, we’ll take it,” Hewison said. “But we don’t ask for money. That’s not what it’s about.”

What it’s about, says Hewison, is karma. You do the best you can as often as you can and hopefully others will do the same. The more people try to help each other, the less misery there will be in the world.

“It’s not about advertisement and it’s not about patting ourselves on the back,” Hewison said. “It’s really a good feeling to help out.”

mlaflamme@sunjournal.com

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