Friday 13 January 2017

January 6, 2010

Good Afternoon!

Grazie Italiano! Can’t beat their food. Miriam’s MMMM-minestrone soup topped off with Parmesan. Then, I’m sure Susan’s delizioso lasagna made hearts miss a beat! Caesar salad, broccoli and cauliflower and apples rounded out the experience. David and Lou flew around the dining room delivering lasagnes like they had wings on their feet! A satisfied guest wanted me to tell our team, “You ARE the CHAMPS.” I’m sure he spoke for all 118 diners.

One of our evening dishwashers, who shall remain nameless, admitted that he passed a still dirty plate to one of the dryers. For that infraction, he thinks that he should be suspended. But after careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to keep him on! After at least 10 years service, it is the very least I could do for Philip, whoops.

You may be wondering how our first sleepover of the season turned out. Thanks to all of you, we were as ready as a tow truck waiting at an on-ramp in rush hour!  There were 8 overnight guests, 3 female, 5 male. Breakfast was a chance for me to speak to the 6 who remained, and I shmeared on thick the positive qualities that the other shelters have to offer as well as the new Transitions to Homes program. Yesterday afternoon, a street outreach worker, took all of the coordinators to three shelters to see and hear first hand what they have to offer the homeless, near homeless and needy people we so often see.

At a question period, I asked, “What do you think about the decision to re-open our OOTC’s shelters?” I thought Sister was going to have a conniption evidenced from the quick breath she took in!  Well, Tom from Wesley said what we already knew. There are many beds for men available and that, if that keeps up, there may be two shelters closing. He thinks we do an excellent job with our food service and spirit building but that we do not need to shelter. Sister let him know that our main concern is the women, and the lack of beds for them. Case closed. Someone sent me a quote last night.  “I believe that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.”  For me, and I hope that I speak for all of you, our aim is to provide shelter for a person’s own safety AND also to get people off the streets permanently, and I’ll talk till I’m blue in the face to any breakfast guest to make sure that they know what is waiting and available for them.

Have a fantastic week!

Yours truly, Going-from-soft-to-tough-Cindy


(For a video presentation of Wesley,go to :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRZwzQqeMSA  ** The video was obviously taken in the summer-time. Judging from the many guests you will recognize, we can now answer the question, “Where do our guests eat when we are not operating?”)

Still need Grocery bags, please and thank you.


Responses:

Thanks Cindy for keeping us in the loop.  It makes good reading & a positive source of still feeling connected.  At present the old Horton's are physically unable to join with the GROUP.  Maybe, some time in the near distant future.  We are so happy that Julia is still there and enjoying it.HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR. George & Sybil

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