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Happening ... in the Local Church
 (Photos
by Caroline B. Mooney) |
 From
left are W.D. Gentry, Laura May, Austin Brummet, Seth VanWanzeele,
Kinsey Deno, Caitlin Tolen, Ayren Cobb, Becky Gentry, Kara Kerker, Kevin
May, Madison Dwenger, Willie Hoffman and Holly Baker. |
By Caroline B.
Mooney
The Catholic
Moment
OTTERBEIN — Religious education students from St. Charles Church gave up a Saturday afternoon and evening to prepare and serve a meal for the homeless on Feb. 9.
“The onions are making me cry just a bit,” said eighth-grader Becky Gentry as she helped chop ingredients. “I think it’s good that we get to go and help people. I don’t mind giving up the time, even though there are other things I could be doing. It’s just an afternoon and if it makes a difference in giving someone a hot meal, then that’s OK.”
“We planned on cooking enough to serve about 50 people,” said Janet Baker, seventh- and eighth-grade religious education teacher. The group met at 3 p.m. in the parish kitchen to prepare beef stew and cornbread.
Baker has had her class prepare meals and serve them at Lafayette Urban Ministry’s homeless shelter for about six years.
“The kids really have a good time,” she said. “They want to do this — they have a ball. Some of them have never cooked before, but they like doing the work because they know they are helping others.”
“I like going,” said freshman Holly Baker. “I think it’s fun to see everyone. We talk to the people there while they’re eating.”
The students also collected socks, hats and toiletries for the shelter.
“We put boxes and posters in all the CCD rooms and a big box in the church so people could donate,” said Kara Kerker, a seventh-grader. “I served a church meal before, when I was in fifth grade. It was fun — I’m looking forward to serving at the shelter.”
“I had fun and enjoyed serving at a shelter before with our class,” said Kinsey Deno, an eighth-grader. “Mrs. Baker asked if we wanted to do it again, and all the kids did. It’s really different seeing people there.”
“I think it will be a good experience and be fun,” said seventh-grader Caitlin Tolen.
“I like going,” said Kevin May, a junior who helped out to earn confirmation service hours. “I have been to a shelter before.”
The students donated all the food needed.
“We might have more of one vegetable than another,” Baker said, “but that’s OK. I just told the kids we were cooking for 50 people, and they brought in everything. Several families cooked stew meat at their homes in advance to save us time.”
While the stew simmered and the cornbread was baking, the group cleaned up the kitchen, pans and utensils. They attended Mass, ate a pizza dinner, and loaded up the food to take to the shelter. Then they served the meal.
“We didn’t get back home till after 10:30 p.m.,” said seventh-grader Seth VanWanzeele.
“It was a long time, but I didn’t mind. I thought it was pretty cool because I wanted to help. There were a lot of people there, and some of them didn’t even have shoes on. I’m glad I went and I’d go back again.”
“I think there were about 30 or 40 people who came to eat,” Gentry said “A lot of them weren’t what you would expect to see there, like if you saw them walking down the street, you wouldn’t guess they were homeless. A lot of them have jobs, but they just don’t have enough money to buy a house.
“A few of them talked to us a lot,” she said. “One lady was really excited because she was going to be moving into a house. It was kind of sad to work there, but it makes you grateful for what you have. It makes you feel good to be helping people. I’m really glad I went and had the chance to go. You never know what’s going to happen, so you should help others, because one day it could be you.”