Senior Breakfast Club

Location: Mary Hartwell Catherwood Apartments

Date: Saturday, February 7, 2015; 9:00 am-12:00 pm

I always have trouble getting to this location.  This was true today as well as I almost missed my stop since I was day dreaming.  I then navigated my way through the tricky sidewalks with ice and arrived at the building I knew so well.  Rosie was leading today and I saw her outside.  I went in to see some of the regulars like LaKeith and his mom, as well as Sonia.  But there was no Sandy or others that I have known for so long.  However, there were several new volunteers and a lot of activity was underway.  I usually help with the fruits and so went over to chop the bananas, but LaKeith’s mom stopped me saying that they would turn brown if I cut them so soon.  Rosie said that rather than just fruit, we were making "Yogurt Parfaits" and so we would need the bananas for that.  Well, someone tell me what to do.

"Parfait's"

So I got down to putting Vanilla yogurt into cups while other volunteers cut strawberries and bananas.  We made several cups and placed them on trays.  The lady, who is in charge and also acts as the onsite coordinator, told me that she just wanted fruits and if I could make a bowl for her. So I did just that, cutting some fruits and gave to her.  The "Parfait" was proving to be very popular and when I walked about many told me they really liked it.  We had to keep making some more since people were still coming in and wanted to have a taste.  The other things on the menu were scrambled eggs, biscuits and turkey bacon.  The electric pan on which we were supposed to cook the bacon - and which was on the table outside - wasn’t working well and so we had to find place for it in the in the kitchen.  If nothing else, we find solutions to problems!

'Valentine's Day' presents

The entire room was decorated in ‘Valentine’s Day’ stuff, including things on the wall and other paraphernalia spread out all over the room.  Rosie had also bought some things for us to hand out to the residents and which needed to be assembled.  We were putting candy sticks in a ‘Disney Valentines Card’ and then sticking heart stickers on the back.  I helped with that with couple of other volunteers, including a guy who worked for ‘Discover Financial Services’.  I told him about how my credit card identity was being compromised all the time and all he could do was sympathize.  We finished making these small presents, which looked great.  We even tried to make all of them similar – ensuring that each had two hearts instead of one – so that residents don’t argue on why theirs had lesser hearts!  I liked this idea so much that I told Wilson that we could do something similar for our ‘Breaking Bread’ project later this week.  I even sent Marianne a note that we would be doing this.

Next, it was time to serve and I was on the eggs.  We realized that we did not have enough and were now scrambling to make more…get it “scrambling”.  Food runners would come with plates of turkey bacon and biscuit and I would put one scoop of eggs on it.  This process was very rapid and soon everyone had been served.  I know how much time it takes to clean the serving tray with the eggs and so I put the remainder of eggs in plates and soaked the tray.  Later on, me and another volunteer spent time cleaning and this has always been my regular role here. 

Soon we were done and the Bingo game was underway with LaKeith calling in his loud booming voice.  People were concentrating hard and I always find it funny because this is such a game of chance.  I always like to see what presents the residents pick and today it was hand-soap.  No one was picking tissue paper and there was a lone deodorant as well.  There was also a wall-hanging sign saying ‘LOVE’, which no one took till one lady grabbed it at the end.  While the Bingo was on, I helped Rosie put away the cooking stuff in the other room.  Soon all prizes had been handed out and it was time for the last “Coverall” game which had a giant industrial sized washing detergent as a prize.  LaKeith had asked if I could call the game and I said that while my voice wasn’t like his, I would try. 

I started calling and immediately people started complaining that they couldn’t hear etc. - basically giving me a hard time.  Amidst all the murmurs and rumblings, I got through the game.  We then put away everything else; and after helping put away a microwave, we could leave.  Rosie then did a quick reflection session and while many regulars have gone, the new people seemed excited to return back.  I walked to the train station with a couple of them and remembered how much I enjoyed coming here and I still do.