At least twice a week for the last four years, Al Work volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Drop In Centre that feeds the most vulnerable in downtown Prince George.
“I was retired and there was nothing much to do and I needed to break up my week and so now I know what day of the week it is,” Work laughed.
He chops vegetables every time he volunteers. Most recently, Work chopped up 42 heads of lettuce needed for lunch despite his wonky thumb.
“It’s really important for us to serve nutritious food here,” Bernie Goold, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul Society, said.
The Drop In Centre, 1220 Second Avenue, provides more than 300 meals a day, 365 days a year, to those in need and they need all the volunteers they can get. The drop in centre is only able to provide takeout service because there aren’t enough volunteers to open the doors to the public.
What keeps Work coming back week after week?
“I enjoy helping people and the company’s always good,” Work said.
“Al brings us loads of vegetables from his garden and he went to the Okanagan recently and brought back thousands of pounds of apples for us so even in his spare time he’s always thinking St. Vincent de Paul’s,” Goold said.
Work has friends who have an orchard down there.
“The apples were free for the picking so my son and I brought a load back,” Work added.
“And then staff and volunteers made about 50 pies with the apples too,” Goold said. “So those are the miracles that happen here. That’s why no one person can take credit for running this place. It’s just a myriad of volunteers that donate to make this all possible to keep these doors open 365 days a year.”
For more information visit https://ssvdppg.com/volunteer-with-us/
