Police officers, community officials and over 200 volunteers helped serve 1,000 plates of turkey and stuffing at the annual Our Place Society Thanksgiving lunch on Wednesday.
B次元官网网址淭he need is great, and we try to meet that need,B次元官网网址� said Le-Ann Dolan, director of operations at the downtown community centre serving the cityB次元官网网址檚 most vulnerable.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the biggest pieces we do around here is belonging, and serving a meal like this today not only fills peoplesB次元官网网址� bellies, but provides the opportunity for people to have a piece of belonging, love and care,B次元官网网址� Dolan said.
For Roberta Touchie, the meal came as a surprise.
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B次元官网网址淚 usually come here and just sit and do my beading downstairs so itB次元官网网址檚 nice to come up and have a good meal,B次元官网网址� Touchie said, adding it was great to see so many volunteers.
B次元官网网址淚t shows that you guys care and that weB次元官网网址檙e not just nobodies, weB次元官网网址檙e somebodies,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t makes us feel good, especially when you see an officer serving at the window, you never see that.B次元官网网址�
For John Daescu, originally from Romania, the service at Our Place is about more than just a meal.
B次元官网网址淚 come here every day to eat, not because I have nothing to eat but because the community here is [made of] very good people,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭hey are very helpful and I want to come here until the last day IB次元官网网址檓 going back to my country,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淭he food is very good, and I appreciate the chef in the kitchen, who is cooking very good.B次元官网网址�
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Having spent many years homeless, Terry Colbern said while the food was great, the most important thing was to be thankful.
B次元官网网址淭his is my homeless family,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e here being thankful for what we have, thatB次元官网网址檚 the most important thing. I got my life backB次元官网网址� and now I have the ability to be with my family.B次元官网网址�
Community leaders from across the region were just some of the helping hands involved in dishing out the turkey, mashed potatoes and fixings, including Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
B次元官网网址淥ur job as elected officials is to serve everyone in our community,B次元官网网址� Helps said, B次元官网网址渁nd that includes the fine folks that are eating here at Our Place, where weB次元官网网址檙e literally serving in this case.B次元官网网址�
Helps pointed out it was a busy event, given that the weather is getting colder. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a warm lunch inside so a lot of people are coming in for lunch, itB次元官网网址檚 a real pleasure to have a conversation with them.B次元官网网址�
The meal was made possible by donations, both of food and funding. To donate at any time you can head to
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