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Sweet Sunday for volunteers

Lighthouse holds first volunteer appreciation event

Orillia’s homeless shelter has relied heavily on its volunteers, especially in the past year.

On Sunday, it turned the spotlight on to those who work hard behind the scenes.

The Lighthouse Soup Kitchen and Shelter held its first volunteer appreciation event at St. James’ Anglican Church.

The best way to describe the day: sweet.

“When I think of volunteers, I think of sweet and I think of serving,” said Lighthouse operations manager Trish Holloway.

So, staff decided to serve them something sweet.

Kawartha Dairy donated the ice cream and Eclectic Café supplied some of the fixings.

Larry King looked at the event like many might look at a bowl of ice cream: “I don’t need this,” he said, but he appreciated it.

King started volunteering for the Lighthouse almost two years ago. He can be found in the kitchen about five days a week.

“It makes me feel good and I get to give back,” said King, who retired five years ago after 40 years with the military.

The Lighthouse has between 30 and 40 volunteers, while there are about 60 people offering their time and talents to the Building Hope campaign, which will see a new shelter built on Queen Street. Then there are those who help out with Coldest Night of the Year and other fundraisers for the Lighthouse. Sunday’s event was for all of them.

“They’re so selfless,” said Lighthouse executive director Linda Goodall. “We felt it was time to honour the volunteers who help at the Lighthouse and with Building Hope.”

The volunteers introduced themselves individually and briefly explained why they got involved:

“It’s what I’m called to do.”

“It’s who I should be.”

“It makes me a better man.”

“The Lighthouse saved my life.”

For Joyce Ward, the reason is simple: “Everybody has a right to safe, affordable and secure housing.”

Ward has long been involved with local efforts to combat homelessness, including with the Orillia chapter of the Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness.

“I’ve always had a passion to address the need for affordable housing,” she said.

Each volunteer was given a key magnet to take a home, which was symbolic of both the cause — shelter and, ultimately, hopefully, housing — and the volunteers, who “are the key to our success,” Goodall said.


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Nathan Taylor

About the Author: Nathan Taylor

Nathan Taylor is the desk editor for Village Media's central Ontario news desk in Simcoe County and Newmarket.
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