SUNDRE — Volunteer organizers with Cooking for Kindness remain committed to working alongside community partners on providing a monthly meal at the local Royal Canadian Legion branch.
While a holiday dinner was made available before the new year, the first monthly meal of 2022 was in March.
And despite the substantial dump of late-season snow that blanketed the region on Wednesday, April 20, the latest luncheon hosted at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #223 was able to go ahead.
“I was having kind of a panic attack a little bit,” Lourelle Vooys, the head volunteer organizer, candidly confessed with a chuckle.
But even though the weather wasn’t cooperating, plans were already largely lined up to proceed.
“We had to kind of go ahead with it because everything was done,” said Vooys.
The Sundre Hotel Restaurant prepared some sweet and sour pork that was served by members of the Sundre RCMP, complemented by a Sri Lankan vegetable side dish from Boondox Family Restaurant, she said.
Additionally, Freson Bros., which Vooys said has continued to honour the Mennear family’s legacy of community involvement and support, helped round off the plates served.
“They complimented us the rice,” she said.
Also lending a hand to not only help prepare but also serve the meal were members from the Sundre Fire Department, Bergen Church pastor Rob Holland as well as mental health therapist Paul Shippy.
While the luncheon used to be offered at no cost, organizers had to — largely as a result of inflation on the price of food — introduce a $10 charge. Some who attended even ended up offering to pay for others, she said.
When asked approximately how many people came out, Vooys said that volunteers have traditionally never kept track of the number of plates served.
“I think probably, we had more help and volunteers than we did actual attendance,” she said, adding organizers don’t get hung up on the turnout and rather focus on those who decide to attend.
“Whoever shows up, is there for a reason,” she said. “So, it was absolutely an excellent dinner because the right people happened to be in that room.”
Recollecting a life lesson from one of her childhood teachers, Vooys said she’s less concerned about the quantity and is instead more focused on the quality, and that from that perspective, the luncheon “just worked out perfect.”
Being once again finally able to bring back the luncheon following such a lengthy break is difficult to describe, she said.
“You can’t put words to those feelings,” she said.
Vooys went on to praise not only the Sundre community’s volunteer spirit, but also people’s can-do attitude.
“I don’t have any problem getting volunteers to help,” she said.
The next luncheon, which is also the last meal prior to the summer break, is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18 at the Royal Canadian Legion. Vooys said she hopes to coordinate with River Valley School to extend an invitation to students who might be interested in participating by handing out pansies to people attending.
Following its summer break, Cooking for Kindness will once again fire up the kitchen in October.
