Article content continued

“When I saw it, I first thought, I don’t think I can overcome this. After 35 years in this business, this might be the thing that makes me stop.”

The community saw it differently, apparently. She was bombarded by calls as the news spread over social media and by Tuesday afternoon, a crowdfunding site was set up by Chevrier’s friend and Vanier BIA executive director, Nathalie Carrier.

Photo by Jean Levac / Postmedia News

“I’ve heard from so many people, visitors … offers from competitors offering equipment, anything I need to get started again,” Chevrier said.

“I never knew how important this restaurant was to so many people. The reaction is incredible. It puts wind in my sails.”

Ola Cocina is also something of a hot spot among the powerful, too. A picture on the wall shows Chevrier and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while former U.S. ambassador Bruce Heyman features a picture with Chevrier in his book The Art of Diplomacy, co-written with his wife, Vicki.

For the Vanier BIA’s executive director, the public response has been “just great.”

“I got goosebumps when I saw the response (Wednesday morning on the Gofundme page),” she said.

By mid-afternoon Wednesday, the page had raised more than $14,000 from 185 donors. The original goal was $10,000, but “that was just for the basics,” organizers said and the extra money will be put to good use.

In the fundraising page, Carrier said Chevrier is well known in the community for her support of local causes, and is often “the first to feed a hungry mouth.”