Saturday, November 28, 2009

20 years of serving others


From Vermont-

For the past 20 years, Mary Haas has volunteered at the weekly community dinner at Immanuel Episcopal Church for one reason: she hates to see people go hungry.

"It's disgusting," she said about the prospect of even one person going to bed without a meal. "I can't stand to have people hungry and as long as I can make it up and down those stairs I'll keep feeding people. And even if it gets to the point where I can't stand up, I'll find the way."
Haas, 83, helped start the Monday night Great Falls Community Kitchen and was there during that very first meal on Dec. 4, 1989.

On Monday, Dec. 7, at 5 p.m. at the church, Haas and her crew of volunteers will be honored for their two decades of serving a meal to anyone who stops by.

Haas has seen her share of hungry and needy people over the 20 years, where she has missed only a handful of meals over the whole time.

But she points out that charity has nothing to do with it.
The weekly community meals are for the poor and the rich. Local residents and visitors alike are welcome.

No questions are asked.

"If you show up and you're hungry, we feed you," Haas said.

The Monday night dinners started after three students from Bellows Falls Union High School became concerned about a group of homeless men who were hanging around the village.

More here-

http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_13883150

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