.
Much like the elementary school teachers who don't actually sleep under their desks each night like their students suppose, the folks at SPR also have lives of their own. This often results in a lot of good for Spokane. For example, each Tuesday, Amy, Shelley, and Stephanie head over to the Women's and Children's Free Restaurant to help provide over 80 nutritious meals in two hours for the needy people of Spokane. Recently, Amy was named Volunteer of the Year.
"I was really surprised," she said, blushing slightly. "I do so little compared to everyone there." But of course, every Tuesday for over a year, plus special events like their summer barbecue where the Restaurant feeds over 1000, tends to add up.
"It's a wonderful, wonderful place," Amy said. The Restaurant, which is located in the basement of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, serves the poorest zip code in the entire state of Washington. Dinners are provided on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, with a big lunch and fresh "take-out" produce on Fridays. The food is completely donation-based from local groceries, farmers, and home gardeners.
Amy had wanted to be more active volunteering in the community and "this is something I think does a lot of good for a lot of people," she said. "I'm in a fortunate position and everyone needs help from time to time."
For two hours each Friday women and children can come into the Restaurant and fill out "menus" detailing the food they would like for themselves and their families. Volunteers collect these menus, looks over them, and fill recyclable bags with the requested items. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, hot, healthy meals are served to all guests.
"It's really a great example of how a few people wanting to make a difference can become a lifechanging service," said Amy.
Showing posts with label Stephanie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephanie. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Party!
.
Sprinkles.
Sprinkles and syrups.
Sprinkles and syrups and fresh cherries and decorations.
That's how the table in the lobby grew this morning. Each year about mid-July, the station has a hot dog roast and ice cream social during the lunch break to celebrate summer birthdays. Right now Verne is playing 52 minute stretches of music to snatch a few extra minutes to help with preparations. A line of ice cream machines churn away on the back porch. Stephanie is coordinating buns, beans, and barbecue. All in the midst of actual station work.
"We like to do this each year to zero in on our real love... food," said Verne. I've been told that his homemade (or rather station-made) ice cream is a big tradition. Added to Verne's vanilla, Patrick and Shelley have brought chocolate ice cream, Neesha is making, according to Verne "something Neesha-esque," and Nancy is whipping up a batch of sherbet for a non-milk-based alternative.
"We've also been eyeing the root beer in the fridge," Verne said. "Somebody might experiment with that."
Luckily for me the annual "ice cream orgy" as Verne put it, falls right on my birthday. So, as a special treat, I get to take a bit of a break from press releases and promos to blog about ice cream. The only concern is that we might wind up with more ice cream than the station can handle.
"It's like why I don't wear Spandex," Verne said.
Spandex? I gave him a look of complete puzzlement.
"You don't have to gear up and make a big fuss to ride your bike to work. Just like that, you don't have to go all crazy to enjoy some ice cream at work. It should be something normal," he added in explanation.
Well I, for one, am all for the normalization of ice cream at the station. Yum!
Sprinkles.
Sprinkles and syrups.
Sprinkles and syrups and fresh cherries and decorations.
That's how the table in the lobby grew this morning. Each year about mid-July, the station has a hot dog roast and ice cream social during the lunch break to celebrate summer birthdays. Right now Verne is playing 52 minute stretches of music to snatch a few extra minutes to help with preparations. A line of ice cream machines churn away on the back porch. Stephanie is coordinating buns, beans, and barbecue. All in the midst of actual station work.
"We like to do this each year to zero in on our real love... food," said Verne. I've been told that his homemade (or rather station-made) ice cream is a big tradition. Added to Verne's vanilla, Patrick and Shelley have brought chocolate ice cream, Neesha is making, according to Verne "something Neesha-esque," and Nancy is whipping up a batch of sherbet for a non-milk-based alternative.
"We've also been eyeing the root beer in the fridge," Verne said. "Somebody might experiment with that."
Luckily for me the annual "ice cream orgy" as Verne put it, falls right on my birthday. So, as a special treat, I get to take a bit of a break from press releases and promos to blog about ice cream. The only concern is that we might wind up with more ice cream than the station can handle.
"It's like why I don't wear Spandex," Verne said.
Spandex? I gave him a look of complete puzzlement.
"You don't have to gear up and make a big fuss to ride your bike to work. Just like that, you don't have to go all crazy to enjoy some ice cream at work. It should be something normal," he added in explanation.
Well I, for one, am all for the normalization of ice cream at the station. Yum!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Paper Parade
.
Today SPR is preparing for one of its biggest mailings just as The Guide is nearing completion for the printers. So, everywhere I turn there is paper. Third, fourth, and fifth versions of pages from The Guide hit my desk to be proofread and then passed on to Neesha or Stephanie's desk to be proofed again. Every little detail must be caught and made perfect before the finished product can go to the printers for distribution. Shelley types away correcting everything that the office full of proofreaders manage to spot, and dozens of papers in various stages flit from chair to chair.
At the same time, Mary, our Membership Coordinator, is organizing for a massive mailing on Friday. Just moments ago, Brian's voice came over the intercom with a polite, "If you'd like some exercise we could use help setting up for the mailing." Then came Amy's voice, a little more insistent, "Whether you want exercise or not, now is the time for action!" At that, people from across the office rose from their chairs and were put to work carrying stacks of envelopes, address sheets, and chairs down to the mailing room. By the time the paper parade came to a close, the room was ready for mailing and The Guide was ready to go to the printers.
Today SPR is preparing for one of its biggest mailings just as The Guide is nearing completion for the printers. So, everywhere I turn there is paper. Third, fourth, and fifth versions of pages from The Guide hit my desk to be proofread and then passed on to Neesha or Stephanie's desk to be proofed again. Every little detail must be caught and made perfect before the finished product can go to the printers for distribution. Shelley types away correcting everything that the office full of proofreaders manage to spot, and dozens of papers in various stages flit from chair to chair.
At the same time, Mary, our Membership Coordinator, is organizing for a massive mailing on Friday. Just moments ago, Brian's voice came over the intercom with a polite, "If you'd like some exercise we could use help setting up for the mailing." Then came Amy's voice, a little more insistent, "Whether you want exercise or not, now is the time for action!" At that, people from across the office rose from their chairs and were put to work carrying stacks of envelopes, address sheets, and chairs down to the mailing room. By the time the paper parade came to a close, the room was ready for mailing and The Guide was ready to go to the printers.
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