In the summer of 1996, Ray's and my pastor--Don Johnson, 7th Day Adventist Church-- told me that the Food Bank needed extra help. (The Food Bank was operated by, and in, the Anglican Church at this time).
The next morning (which was Thursday), Ray and I drove to the church and had an interview with Pastor Andrew Hoskins. After talking with us for a while, he hired us on, and said that Ray would be working with the man downstairs putting the food bags or boxes up for the clients coming in every Tuesday; and I would be helping out in the kitchen. I would probably be asked to get some extra supplies from downstairs! I remember telling Pastor Hoskins that I have arachnophobia and mouse-o-phobia!!! If I see either of those "things" lurking around I'm screaming my head off and running back to the kitchen at full speed!!
In the late spring of 1998, the food bank needed more room since the client list was being added onto every other day it seemed. So all of us were kept busy looking for a bigger building. In the summer of the same year, Ray and I were going to the Library when he spotted a 'For Sale' sign on the window of the old Westview Plumbing Shop opposite the library. We went in and looked around. Just what the Food Bank needed: lots more room and a large basement. We drove over to where (Former Director)
Dan and Ada Gonzales were living. He got excited and he followed us to the building, Some former employees were still there, They gave us a tour around the basement and up into the main area. As the one man opened the door to the back room-- where the shelves and freezers are now--I screamed and pointed to a 'man' hanging from the gallows! What a shock that was!! They were playing a joke on one of the men and had forgotten to take it down.
After all the legalities were completed, we could finally start remodeling. Lots of cleaning down walls, ceiling, and finally the floors. Then came the painting. My husband couldn't do any of that work; he was allergic to the paint; the fumes would trigger his epileptic attacks to come more often.
It took months of planning as to where the fridges and freezers were going, getting the kitchen in order... but at last the new Food Bank was opened and in working order.
Although it was good to work there, I had to quit since I was working at our church's clothing centre on Tuesdays and the Food Bank on Wednesdays plus being a caregiver to my now late husband. It was too much, so I stepped down. Thank you for all the great work you are doing there,
Barb Grosso