Dear Volunteers:
We are now into the second half of our 2007-2008 program and we seem to have much to be proud of. A very kind guest this week came up to Louise Klinghoffer and myself after dinner. Quite eloquently and tactfully, he said that our dinners are consistently delicious, and we have raised the bar by at least 60% for all the other Out of the Cold dinners in the city. We know that it's not a competition, and, truthfully, I'm just glad that our guests leave satisfied, and live to see another day, (we ARE following health and safety guidelines, after all) but I think that our guest meant more than just the food. The atmosphere beyond the food is warm and caring, joyous, yet respectably dignified. New guests are arriving weekly and are welcomed, not just by you, our volunteers, but also by fellow guests. I see it all of the time, and it's heartwarming, really. There is no shortage of genuine concern for our fellow man.
This morning for just over an hour, Sister Carole Anne and I joined a small group of members from across Hamilton who have an interest in poverty. It was called together by Liberal MP Ken Dryden as part of his cross country initiative to address the unacceptable levels of poverty across the nation. In his opening remarks, Mr. Dryden made clear that the public and government recognize the need for real change. In a country such as Canada, unacceptable. Well, our 400 strong and committed volunteers could have told him that! I don't like to describe HOOTC as a band-aid for what ails this community, but it sure will feel better to have another perscription to help heal matters! BTW, this is from a non-partisan individual.
Stay warm!
Cindy
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