Despite being injured in a four-vehicle collision Tuesday, the reigning Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous queen still has her sights set on hosting tomorrow’s Queen’s Cause.

On Tuesday morning, Lisa Gallant-McRobb was driving to pick up a friend to help with food donations from local businesses she planned to use for Saturday’s event.

It was then that her vehicle was violently hit by a truck at the intersection of the Alaska Highway and Robert Service Way.

Two trucks, her car and a City of Whitehorse fire truck were involved in the mayhem.

The fire truck had been headed to the Whitehorse Copper subdivision when the collision occurred. Its driver wasn’t seriously hurt, and the city is awaiting word on whether the fire truck, about 17 years old, can be repaired.

“I saw the red and I saw the lights – I didn’t see or hear it coming at all,” Gallant-McRobb recalled this morning.

“I kept thinking, ‘oh my God, this is going to hurt; please don’t let it hurt.’

“I spun and hit the truck and came to a stop,” she told the Star.

“I kind of did a mental check, to see I’m still here, and I started kind of feeling where I was hurt.”

In addition to the bumps and scrapes that go along with an accident, she said, she walked away with a rolled left ankle, cracked ribs on her right side, and a dislocated right shoulder. It’s something that landed her in surgery shortly after.

She can’t place weight on her shoulders just yet (so isn’t able to use crutches at this stage).

However, Gallant-McRobb is determined to make the best of tomorrow’s feast at what was formerly called the Salvation Army Centre of Hope. (The sign was removed from the building this morning as part of the Yukon government taking control of the facility from the Army.)

A regular volunteer at Sally Ann (where her husband is a chef), Gallant-McRobb works in catering.

After taking some time off from work late last year, Tuesday was to be her first day back at work.

And while she planned to cook the feast for some of the centre’s clients, she was happy to see other cooks willing to help out.

“I’m just happy to be alive, and really thankful that everyone is stepping forward,” Gallant-McRobb said.

Noting she could have been paralyzed from the impact of the injuries, she is also thankful to her family, who wheeled her around the house in a computer chair.

“My family is just amazing; they helped me up the stairs, getting dressed.”

Her husband will also be stepping up to the plate ahead of tomorrow’s event by prepping tonight, she added.

Among the goodies guests can expect Saturday are a roast beef lunch complete with Yorkshire pudding, served by this year’s candidates for the royal title.

It will feature performances by cancan dancers and Gurdeep Pandher – something the reigning queen said she’s looking forward to enjoying.

Laughing, Gallant-McRobb said she suspects she will be under less stress come Saturday.

“I’ll be sitting through most of the event,” she said. “Which is good instead of being busy in the kitchen.

“I’d like to help out and I really – its just really nice to feel all that support and love.”

While she is eagerly awaiting tomorrow, Gallant-McRobb said it also served as a reminder and lesson that hosting events on your own is doable but may not be as rewarding.

“You can do it all on your own, but you can move mountains when you have support.”

As for what’s next for her in the long term, Gallant-McRobb said it isn’t quite clear yet.

“My job requires me to be on my feet,” she said. That’s something that can be difficult when you’re donning an Aircast.

“I don’t know what’s next for that, kind of relax.”

But she’ll be taking part as much as she can, with plans to head to the event a bit earlier.

“It’s turning into quite the big event,” she said. “This event is the first one, so it’ll be my little legacy that I leave behind.”

While the feast is tomorrow, Rendezvous will crown its next queen late next month.

“By then, I’ll at least be able to be on crutches,” said Gallant-McRobb.

The annual winter festival has been moved from the usual Shipyards Park location to the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and surrounding area.