16-year-old Whitney Labelle, happy to help! The 4th Annual Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner at The Gathering Place required fifty pounds of potatoes peeled, five turkeys stuffed, a boatload of gravy prepared and most importantly, a spirit of giving.
The 4th Annual Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner at The Gathering Place required fifty pounds of potatoes peeled, five turkeys stuffed, a boatload of gravy prepared and most importantly, a spirit of giving.
Staff and volunteers had plenty of spirit for their neighbours in need Monday, as they opted to forgo sleeping in to help put the finishing touches on the meal.
“We do it as a service to our neighbours in need,” says Kim Smith, Operations Manager.
“We serve them every other day of the year during the weekdays, and we just feel that this is a nice touch that we can give them ... to make them feel special, and to provide a meal that they might not otherwise have.”
For 16-year-old Whitney Labelle, sleeping in is far less attractive compared to helping out.
“I've been with the soup kitchen for a while no. It started off as getting my hours for school, but I just continued doing it because I just love being here.”
The people you work with, the people that come in, it gives you a nice feeling that you're helping so many others and not being so selfish all the time,” she states.
Labelle says the blend of people (young and old) who were volunteering make the day a special event to be a part of and demonstrate the spirit of giving.
“They're giving themselves basically, because they do it all, the work behind the scenes, the cooking, the serving, the cleaning afterwards and they’re helping so many people.”
As for anyone thinking of volunteering at the soup kitchen, Labelle says it is just incredible.
“It is just a great place to be, a great place to work, and I wouldn't hesitate to say ‘you know what, go work there,” she says.
Volunteer applications are available at The Gathering Place located at 392 Algonquin Avenue.
