Community Cafe celebrates its Volunteers

 

April 10-16, 2016 marked the National Week of Volunteer Appreciation. During the monthly Community Cafe on Thursday, April 14, 2016 volunteers were recognized and thanked for their dedication and commitment. 

Since 2011, the Community Cafe, has been held each month on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. The Lions Club venue is a monthly event organized and coordinated by a small subcommittee under the Southwestern Housing Stability Initiative, with Zion Pentecostal church members taking lead on the event held in their church annex.

It is the overwhelming dedication of the large number of volunteers that come out each month in support of the cafe that it continues to grow bigger and bigger each month.  With nearly 12,000 meals served free of charge to the patrons, the community cafe requires many hours of planning and preparation before, during and after the event.

Kim Kendell, one of the members of the Special Projects committee took a moment during the day’s event to congratulate and thank the 19 volunteers on hand. In addition to the United Church Women’s group (this month’s sponsor), volunteers from other organizations such as: community, faith/church groups, students, BSG Women’s Center staff, Lions Club, West Coast Correctional Center, Community Youth Network, and NF Power were among the group.

She shared a poem written by Susan Fowlow, following which she spoke of being humbled by the overwhelming generosity and compassion each exhibits towards their fellow human beings. “Thank you for sharing yourselves with so many at the Community Cafe. Because of this commitment, you have turned this Community Cafe into a Family Cafe.”

 

 

 

And Then There was You! by Susan Fowlow

One day I thought my world had ended….and then there was you

My seas got stormy, I had nothing to grab on to….and then there was you

I made baby steps and no one noticed….and then there was you

My life had light again and I didn’t know how to share the light with others….and then there was you

My soul hungered to grow and learn….and then there was you

I prayed to be shown my guardian angel….and then there was you!

Following this each volunteer was appreciated with a thunderous round of applause and was presented with a Certificate of Thanks.

Check out our gallery for more pictures.