At St. John’s Kitchen, a blessing of volunteers at Christmas
Volunteers give Working Centre staff a day off and take charge providing the meal
KITCHENER — Jeremy Horne walks through the converted room on the second-floor of an old warehouse that is filled with light, chattering people and the smell of turkey dinners.
It is Christmas Day, just before noon, and Horne is co-ordinating the 40 volunteers who helped feed more than 100 people at the St. John’s Kitchen at 97 Victoria St. North. Horne has done this for 10 years now. “Today has a good spirit to it,” said Horne.
For more than 30 years the St. John’s Kitchen, which is operated by the Working Centre, has served food to homeless people, those at risk of being homeless, street people and others. About 10 years ago, the Working Centre gave its regular staff Christmas Day off.
That’s when Horne stepped up, and started co-ordinating the volunteers who work in the kitchen from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Christmas. He is continually amazed at how many people give up their Christmas mornings to help feed people who are less fortunate.
“And I turn people back, I have more people wanting to come and help than we can use,” said Horne. “It’s incredible.”
For years Myrna and Art Bauman have helped serve the annual Christmas dinner in the St. John’s Kitchen.
“Usually the turkey is prepared ahead of time for us, and then, there are a lot of donations that come in. Lately we are even getting donations from restaurants, or bakeries and things like that,” said Myrna. “There is a lot of food, more than enough food.”
They helped serve 200 pounds of turkey, 100 pounds of potatoes, and lots of trimmings. On the way out, people walked past a table full of donated food. They could choose from among several boxes, and take some home.
“Both Art and I have had so much, so you just want to give in return to people who don’t have as much,” said Myrna.
Among the volunteers Christmas Day was Emmad Kahn, a second-year student at the University of Waterloo studying geological engineering.
“It is awesome, it’s great to give back, see everyone happy,” said Kahn.
The heavy snow and cold winds yesterday are blamed for the lower-than-normal turnout for the annual dinner. The kitchen prepared to feed 200 people. Between 120 and 150 came out.
“I feel happy about it, it feels nice to give back, especially on Christmas Day,” said Kahn.
St. John’s Kitchen feeds people year round, something Horne believes is much more impressive than having volunteers come in one day a year. Even if that one day is Christmas Day.
“All we do is come Christmas Day. That’s easy. What happens here every day of the week, they are the real stars,” said Horne.
“By the time we get here all the turkey has been cut, cooked and deboned and ready to go,” said Horne. “So a lot of the work is already done.”