The Thursday afternoon before Thanksgiving Day, over 220 people dropped by for a ham and mash potato dinner at the Lord's Kitchen on Spruce Street North, in Timmins.
For many of the seniors, children, teens and adults gathered together from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., this will be their Thanksgiving Day meal, with a serving of salad, bread, juice, coffee, milk and dessert to go with the ham and mash.
Earlier, Mayor Steve Black of Timmins declared October 3-7, 2016, Lord’s Kitchen Week in Timmins, the City with a Heart of Gold.
“This something that happens in Timmins every year,” said Phil Kelly, President of the Lord’s Kitchen Society. “It signifies the start of our annual fundraising drive which runs until the end of December.
“Every year we try to raise as much money as we can, keeping in mind that to operate we need about $60,000 to $70, 000,” he explained. “We don’t do any fundraising after that period.”
The Lord’s Kitchen gets contributions from Timmins businesses, the community and a lot of individuals explained Kelly.
“We are also getting more contributions from people who ask, on the death of a loved one, that donations be made to the Lord’s Kitchen instead of purchasing flowers,” he said.
“And that’s maybe because they have volunteered here or eaten here,” he added.
The Lord’s Kitchen has been operating for over 30 years in Timmins and was started by Father Dan Bagley and Father Les Costello in 1986.
There is no means test applied at the door everyone is welcome to celebrate the weekly meal.
“The good thing about the Lord’s Kitchen is that it doesn’t operate like a soup kitchen,” Kelly stated.
“It’s definitely a 'Lord’s' kitchen,” said Kelly with a deft play on words to explain that everyone is treated with respect and courtesy no matter who they are.
“They come in, sit down and are served at their table with hot food, drink, bread and dessert,” explained Kelly. “There are also a variety of foods served week to week based on six or seven recipes that are used for cooking the meals.”
Once the fall starts Kelly said over 200 come to the Lord’s Kitchen and they can eat as much as they want.
“When staff come by and collect the empty plates they will always ask the person if they want another serving,” said Kelly. “That means we are serving about 400 plates of food, and no one is turned down for seconds, as long as the food is not wasted.”
Kelly has noted that over time every year there seem to be more and more people coming to the Lord’s Kitchen and that the composition of the people also changes over time.
“What makes the job satisfying is that sometimes I will notice a person coming for a time,” said Kelly, “and then they got on to a good road and they stop coming.”
But Kelly pointed out that many people in Timmins who come to the Lord’s Kitchen do so for the company as much as the meal.
“In Timmins, a lot of people who live alone and cook for themselves like to come out once a week and be with other people,” Kelly said pointing out that the Lord’s Kitchen feeds the spirit as well as the body.
Kelly started volunteering with the Lord’s Kitchen 10 years ago as a dishwasher and then was asked to serve on the Board before being elected its president.
“I think it is something to be able to help people who maybe disadvantaged or temporarily in need,” he said.
“And that’s not just the financially poor, there are the people who are lonely people in Timmins and we try to provide a good meal with companionship as well," said Kelly.
Instead of dealing with people knocking on the rectory door every day he thought it would be a better idea to provide a day where the can come and be with people and share a meal.
Also out of the former Church of the Nativity operates Timmins’ Food Bank on Wednesdays.
To learn about ways to help the Lord's Kitchen and contribute toward their fundraiser, visit them on Facebook at The Lords Kitchen Society Timmins:
https://www.facebook.com/lordskitchensociety/
Or
http://www.costellocentre.com/charities/lords-kitchen/
Or stop in on Thursdays to help out or have a hot meal – The Lord’s Kitchen, 85 Spruce Street North, Timmins, Ontario.
