By the end of the night they will have fed 500, and for those that donβt have much, a warm meal lovingly prepared by a stranger can go a long way.
On Saturday, ΑπΑ§ΙρΙηβs Gospel Mission took to the road to distribute warm turkey dinners to those in need. One of their first stops was a gravel parking lot on Baillie Avenue, where dozens of people eagerly accepted their gift.
That night, they distributed about 400 meals to those on the streets. Some of their meals were also delivered to other shelters and supportive housing units around town.
Each meal included turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, topped off with a slice of pie.
On Baillie Avenue, a line of people waiting for meals formed. Some put their meal into a backpack and walked or rode off, while others immediately started eating.
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With arms linked, Gary Baker and Stephanie Hermiston quietly stood in line together. After receiving their meal they thanked the volunteers, wished them a Merry Christmas and walked back to their tent which was situated close by.
Baker finished his meal quickly. Hermiston savoured it. Both agreed it meant a lot.
βItβs survival,β said Baker.
βHe said it - I was hungry, I know it meant a lot to me right now,β added Hermiston.
After finishing their meal they leaned against each other in the cold and chatted about what time they were going to be woken up in the morning, and where they would go next.
Asked how they were feeling with Christmas just around the corner, they looked at each other and smiled. Baker said heβs happy to have a new partner. Stephanie agreed but admitted the holidays can be depressing. She wished she was with her kids.
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Back at the Gospel Mission shelter on Leon Avenue, about 60 sat down together to eat. At the 40-bed winter shelter on Doyle Avenue, they did the same.
For some, itβs a glimmer of happiness during a dreary and depressing season.
βNobody wants to spend Christmas at a shelter; not if they can help it. So if youβre here at Christmas, itβs probably not because youβre having the best season of your life,β said Carmen Rempel, Gospel Mission executive director.
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Rempel said they do everything they can to honour their residents, and celebrate Christmas with them tactfully, to prevent emotional hurt.
βI was just in there now talking to one who was so sad. And I asked him why. Because heβs usually a very βupβ guy β¦ he looks at me and says, βCarmen, itβs just this time of year. Itβs just the season. Itβs supposed to be happy and itβs supposed to be merry and bright, but itβs not.β
βSo the reason we do this is so that we have a little bit of merry and bright.β
That evening, the Gospel Mission residents felt a sense of family.
βItβs an opportunity for people who are really down and low, to have some normalcy and comradery,β said Sonja Menyes, manager of volunteers at the Gospel Mission.
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Due to COVID-19, shelters have not been able to welcome guests. While volunteers would normally come in to help prepare the meal and decorate the shelters, this year that duty fell on the residents.
However, that was welcomed, as the opportunity to help brought a sense of dignity.
βThey have become a little family. They support one another, and theyβre all helping out β¦ this is their Christmas. Not even something theyβre just receiving via charity. This is their celebration,β said Rempel.
In a place mat on a table, a message from a donor reads, βLove is all you need.β
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This year has undoubtedly resulted in far more challenges for many, but for individuals at the Gospel Mission, thereβs an upside. Due to the lower numbers of people coming and going, this group of 60 on Leon Avenue has coalesced into βsomething quite special.β
βWe see more and more guys who have become stable. Thereβs guys who would have been considered a year ago to be absolutely unhouseable, because their mental health was at such a state that made it really impossible to have any sort of stability,β said Rempel.
A calm and peace has come over the mission, allowing many to heal and move forward in their recovery journey.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com
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