When longtime Lake Country singer-songwriter Steve Stairs met Phyllis MacPherson at one of the area's Canada Day celebrations quite a few years ago, he was struck by her smile.

Knowing her efforts to keep the Lake Country Food Bank rolling along, Stairs told MacPherson he would write a song for her.

And so he did, penning The Lady At the Food Bank, a song about Phyllis that he regularly sang for her before her passing and that he sang at the

"I was honoured for the family to ask me and I couldn't say yes fast enough," said Stairs. "The song is just about how she treated everybody with such great care. She had a big heart and just looked after people when they came in. I went there one day and watched her and it was pretty special. She did a lot of things that made people feel good."

Over the years Stairs played the song several times for Phyllis. If he was playing at a Lake Country event and she came by, he would sing it for her.

"She would come and watch and I would play it for her," said Stairs, who said the song would always bring a big smile to her face and now if he plays it, he thinks of Phyllis. "I think of her face and her smile. It's a good memory. She was a pretty special lady."

Stairs now says he likely won't be playing the song very much as it was written for Phyllis, although he may strum it around a campfire for friends and would play it if asked. He doesn't play it at any regular gigs that he gets, but it was included on his 2013 CD called Dance With Me and can also be heard by clicking this link on , a streaming audio service.

The Lady At The Food Bank

She sees the look on all their faces

As they walk in through the door

They don't want to be here

She knows that for sure

But with a growl in their belly and old shoes on their feet

Their wives and their children don't deserve not to eat

The lady at the food bank is an angel I know

When the roll's called up yonder, she'll be the first one to go

With a smile on her face and her heart on her sleeve

She makes folks feel special

By the time they leave

(Chorus)

Lord how did I get here I heard one man say

If it weren't for the food bank, I'd be hungry all day

I'll work my way back to where I need to be

But til then it's the food bank for my family and me

The lady at the food bank, likes to help those in need

She'll stretch every dollar

Cause there's so many to feed

She don't do this for fortune, she don't do this for fame

She does it for love and Phyllis is her name

If you feel blessed and happy, and your belly is full

You want to give something back, here's what you can do

Just open up your heart and donate to our fund

And there'll be one less hungry family

When the day's work is done

Lord how did I get here I heard one man say

If it weren't for the food bank, I'd be hungry all day

I'll work my way back to where I need to be

But til then it's the food bank for my family and me