ESTEVAN - People in the Estevan area continue to turn to the Warm Welcome Kitchen to meet their needs, not only for a hot meal but for socializing.
The kitchen serves meals at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at St. Giles Anglican Church and Thursdays at Trinity Lutheran Church, following the same schedule as last year.
"We're seeing an average of about 50 people at each meal," said kitchen board president Wendy Godfrey.
Attendance is similar to last year, she said, which isn't a surprise with the state of the economy and current food prices. Warm Welcome has always had some young families in attendance, but Godfrey noted they are seeing more, so the kitchen volunteers want to make the gatherings more kid-friendly.
The suppers also provide a sense of community for those who are lonely or don't know a lot of people.
"We've seen newcomers to the community, and it's a great way to learn about the community and meet new people. When you're new to a community, you may not know anybody, so this is a way to find some friends," said Godfrey.
Chicken and spaghetti are among the main dishes that have been served, she said, and it's always a full meal with a side dish and a vegetable. The kitchen program is part of the Food Rescue Program through Sobeys, so if Sobeys donates hamburger, it might mean spaghetti or another pasta dish is served.
"We rely a lot on donations, and our cook [kitchen co-ordinator Donna McGillicky] is wonderful. She'll look and see what is donated, and she can create a really good meal out of that. She's very creative," said Godfrey.
The Warm Welcome Kitchen needs three or four volunteers each night. Godfrey noted McGillicky does most of the preparation work on her own, but assistance is needed with setup, service and cleanup.
"We've been fortunate," said Godfrey. "We've had service groups ask if they can help, and they'll send three or four people to help with a meal. Groups are always welcome, but individuals, we'll always take the help that we get."
Donations are also always accepted, too. Being part of Food Rescue helps with their meal expenses, and people have stepped forward with produce grown in their garden. Financial donations help the kitchen to purchase items they don't have for the meal.
The kitchen is looking forward to its annual Grocery Dash fundraiser. The winner will get a two-minute shopping spree at Sobeys to purchase up to $1,000 in free groceries. Gift cards will be presented for second and third place prizes.
The draw date will be Nov. 5 at St. Giles before supper is served. Tickets are $10 each and will be available until the draw date.
