City Mission thriving since June fire
From left, Sharon Kreuer, Vanessa McPherson and Jacquelyn Ambrose were first-time volunteers with City Mission Thursday as the organization served Thanksgiving dinner to men and women in the basement of the Masonic Lodge, which is located next to City Mission on West Wheeling Street.
Men dine in the basement of the Masonic Hall, a temporary site for the Thanksgiving meal after a fire gutted parts of the City Mission’s chapel and kitchen.
Thanksgiving at City Mission had a lot of firsts, from new volunteers to serving the traditional holiday meal in the basement of the Masonic Lodge at 44 W. Wheeling St.
“First time we got to have dinner with the ladies,” said Clinton, a resident, as he joked about how good he feels to have a hot meal and, maybe, second helpings.
The switch to a simultaneous meal service with both men and women residents and a crush of new volunteers was spurred by a June fire that temporarily displaced male residents and gutted parts of the City Mission’s chapel and kitchen at 84 W. Wheeling St.
”We haven’t missed a beat, and that’s because of community support. It’s as good as it’s ever been if not better,” said assistant kitchen manager Pat Kline.
“We’ve had nearly 30 volunteers here throughout the day, and after breakfast, brunch and the couple of dinner phases we’re doing, we’ll have served nearly 300 people today,” Kline said.
Vanessa McPherson, a first-time volunteer along with her husband Mark, said, “It’s what God would want us to do.”
She served food, while Mark McPherson worked in the kitchen.
“It’s just a great way to give back. I work at Chapman Corporation in town as a welder, and you see the work this charity does. Why not be a part of that? But I’m just a dishwasher-type-of-guy helping with cooking,” Mark said as he loaded another pan of biscuits for incoming walk-ins.
Dale Kreuer was another first-time volunteer.
“What a better time to help than during the holidays? You have to have turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving no matter who you are,” Kreuer said.
“We’re just very thankful to be here, and have people helping us,” said a female resident.
“Today was excellent. I’m sober, I have my medications refilled and ready, and I just ate a good meal,” Clinton said before going back for his second piece of carrot cake.