Realtors serve up dinner
Roast beef dinner served to 160 in need at One Roof Community Diner program
About 160 of the city’s less fortunate enjoyed a rare, free roast beef dinner with all the fixings Wednesday evening thanks to the fundraising and volunteer efforts of a team of volunteers from a Charlotte Street-based real estate brokerage.
After raising money to purchase the food, realtors from Bowes and Cocks worked shifts throughout the day to prepare and serve the dinner at One Roof Community Diner at St. John’s Anglican Church on Brock Street, an outreach program of Warming Room Ministries.
They also served homemade desserts following the meal, said realtor Jessica Hill, who explained how Wednesday’s contributions were a part of Gallery of Giving, the brokerage’s a year-round volunteer efforts in the community.
The business recently held draws for pieces of art, for example, to raise the money needed to purchase the food items for the special dinner, Hill said.
Bowes and Cocks has established a collective approach to volunteer efforts, which also includes Friendly Fridays and its Good Samaritan Squad.
With so many worthy opportunities to serve, it established a committee that seeks out the most effective ways the business can make an impact.
“There is so much need in Peterborough that it’s hard to know where to start sometimes,” Hill said.
Everything was going “great” as of late Wednesday afternoon, realtor Dianne Tully said as food prep continued in the busy kitchen. She pointed out that it was the first time the brokerage had volunteered at the diner, but doubted it would be the last.
“Our team includes people who really want to give back to the community,” she said, adding how several realtors’ family members were chipping in.
It was also an eye-opening experience for all of the real estate professionals, Hill added as diner clients moved around the busy hallways of the facility. “The demand is high.”
The realtors enabled the diner to offer a special meal it normally wouldn’t be able to, One Roof Community Diner program manager Rachel Petty said.
It is also expected a significant social impact as the realtors spread word about the diner, which serves nutritious meals from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekdays with a focus on sharing meals grown, donated, prepared and served by the community.
Launched in 2016, One Roof is a partnership between gardeners, growers, farmers, grocers, producers, distributors, volunteers, churches, families, businesses and community groups.
“It brings awareness to our program,” Petty said, adding how partnerships like the one with Bowes and Cocks are “really appreciated” – whether the relationship is forged with one person or a large group of volunteers.
“It gets the word out there that the community can be helped with a little time and love,” kitchen supervisor Andrew Willett added. “Every bit helps.”
NOTES: For more information on One Roof Community Diner, visit www.oneroofdiner.wordpress.com or call 705-977-7663.