The St. Regis Senior Citizens Center has been open since 2009, and in that time, they have had growing pains, as businesses do, ranging from lines outside waiting for their meals to almost closing the doors.

Dave Hannah has been the trail-boss almost two years and he came on when the financial situation was bleak and diner numbers were low. Changes were made and several were not popular, but Hannah said they had to be done. 

Today, the St. Regis Senior Citizens Center is healthy and serving more Thursday evening meals on a consistent basis than ever before by what records they have. 

“We’re averaging 40 people on Thursday nights and Mistydawn prepares for 45 as we are not going to run out of food, and we can always use anything left over,” said Hannah.

Mistydawn Holyoak is the new kitchen manager and is one of the reasons the establishment is thriving. 

“I started cooking at 5 and loved being in the kitchen and grew up watching cooking shows,” Holyoak shared. “My grandfather was a ranch cook and that's where I learned to cook without measuring as a kid. I took cake decorating classes when I was a teen and started my first business doing birthday and wedding cakes when I was 15.” 

Holyoak said she owned a restaurant for a short time before the pandemic and was one of the creators of Mom’s Place Gluten Free. She and her family moved from Idaho for her husband’s position with Blackfoot Communications and guests will see all seven family members in the kitchen washing dishes, cooking, serving, cleaning tables and whatever needs to be done to make the center a wonderful place to enjoy delicious meals.

“My parents owned a business when I was growing up and they would host customer appreciation Superbowl parties and some catering. We would serve over 100 dishes and they would have up to 160 people attend.  Because of their business, I got to rub shoulders with the best caterers in southeastern Idaho at really high-end weddings,” said Holyoak. 

She loves to expand her horizons learning new and cultural foods so her menu planning is done by herself and her daughter keeping the nutritional requirements by law in every dish.

“I like to try to keep as much local by shopping at Darlows. I am on a budget, of course, and I order from US Foods and WinCo.” 

Hannah and Holyoak rolled the dice last year and began offering sweet treats two days a week. 

“Hours are 8 to 11, and it's a variety of stuff and everyone can follow us on Facebook for the week’s offerings. Cost is between $1.50 to $8. Donuts are $1.50 and pies can be up to $8. The big cinnamon rolls are well liked, “she smiles. “And we do custom orders, and those can be on other days, but the regular stuff is Friday and Saturdays.”