FATC Volunteers Serve Dinner at Ronald McDonald House
Four times a year, a group of Flyfishers at the Crossing (FATC) volunteers arrive at the Ronald McDonald House next to Mercy Hospital to serve dinner to the families staying there. What a great organization for us to be part of! Parents and their children who are being treated at area hospitals have a place to stay free of charge. Cancer and other illnesses know no economic boundary, so for many of these families, at least one major stress is eliminated. The FATC team is honored to contribute and be part of this. It brings us joy every time we serve.
On Tuesday, November 4th, we held our fourth dinner of the year. I (Ken Welter) spent a few hours on Monday shopping for all the groceries we’d need, always trying to make the most of our budget. I arrived early on Tuesday to start the initial preparations. As I walked to the door, I saw Paul Jacoby arriving. We had a chance to catch up and began preparations. Paul handed me the lead responsibilities at the beginning of the year. Thankfully, he still enjoys giving his time and helping me with the events. I am grateful for his continued participation. Harold Bates arrived a short time later. I count on Harold to be there for each event; he is great at overseeing all aspects of our preparations. He is sort of the Captain of the Kitchen, keeping me and others on track. While I prepped onions, Paul worked on the breading, and Harold started peeling potatoes. We quickly realized we’d have to slow down a bit; the rest of our crew hadn’t arrived yet!
Arriving right on time were Steve Baker, Vernon Preston, and first-timers Larry Mangels and Bob Fleet. Steve, a long-time mainstay at these events, jumped right in helping with the potatoes. Larry and Bob also grabbed peelers. With 20 pounds of potatoes to get through, we needed all hands on deck! Meanwhile, I was preparing the meatloaf mix, sautéing onions, garlic, and seasoning.
Mike Bisaga had said he’d attend, but work held him up a bit. Thankfully, he arrived just when I needed him. The meatloaf needed to be formed and put in the oven. Mike jumped right in helping me get eight (8) meatloaves ready to go. This guy really knows how to cook for a crowd!
As we approached our 6 p.m. serving time, everything came together perfectly. Vernon. As usual, had the cookies and bread rolls cooked to perfection right on schedule.
We had a great turnout of families this time. They were all thrilled with the meal and made sure to let us know how much they appreciated it. That’s the part I love most, meeting the families and hearing their stories. One little girl had just undergone surgery earlier in the day, and yet there she was that evening, sitting with her family, smiling, and enjoying dinner together. Moments like that make it all worthwhile.
Once everyone was served, it was our turn. We filled our plates and shared a fellowship meal together. It was another wonderful event—thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.
Watch for our next Ronald McDonald House dinner in early February!
