8:00 A.M. -ish.
I shift my car into park in the North Lot and grab my bag for the day. Didn’t pack a lunch — again — which means I get the illustrious privilege of having lunch in the café. I’d say I’m disappointed, but really: knowing that I get a fresh, hot meal in just a few hours makes the early chill of the workday much nicer.
I cross the C-Train tracks and walk up the sidewalk to the entrance. Folks are already marking their spot for the Free Food Market, a long trail of small stones or newspapers in plastic bags, all holding space for people who want to be first in line to get their loaves of bread, half-cartons of eggs or frozen pizzas.
Mark is outside as I head in. Mark is one of the most recognizable figures at Kerby Centre, mostly because he is seemingly always everywhere. He’s moving tables or shoveling snow or setting up for an event. He’s one of the many people without whom Kerby Centre would fall to pieces. Always there with a pleasant good morning or good afternoon and a wide grin and an easy laugh.
I climb up the stairs to my office on the thirdfloor. The elevator isn’t out and would normally be my first choice, but hey: it’s exercise, right?
I flip on my computer to check emails, get in touch with folks and take the first few sips of my second coffee.
This quiet silence is the best part of my day.
9:30 A.M.
A quick tour of the building to chat with folks and check in. I say hello to a few of the amazing volunteers with whom I’m close friends: Gloria, Dorothy, Kathryn, and Weldon. I adore every single one of the volunteers here at the centre, but these are a few of the ones I work closely with.
Each one of them is always excited and happy to be helping out, whether it’s at the café or the Wise Owl. All of them have participated at some point in the paper’s monthly mailout where we stick on address labels to the nearly 3,000 copies we deliver to members every month.
These volunteers are the best part of my day.
10:30 A.M.
I head to the Zumba Class to take some photos or videos for our social media accounts. The participants are warm and flush, having just spent most of the hour bopping, moving and grooving.
It’s hard not to get into the mood with the infectious enthusiasm of the instructor: glad in colourful tights and a smile that could move mountains, she gets every single person in the room up and active, enjoying themselves and getting their sweat on.
I’m told by the instructor, with a wry smile, that it’s unfair I should be taking pictures and not participating. I’m not one to back down from a challenge, so I do my best to join along for a few moves. Dress pants and a button-up don’t make for the best exercise equipment but the laughter that echoes through the room stays with me more than the uncomfortable sweat.
Zumba class is easily, absolutely, the best part of my day.
11:00 A.M.
The Free Food Market needs some additional help and I’m more than happy to be there. There are a lot of things to be done to get meals and staples into the hands of folks that need them.
It’s just a bit out of one morning for me, but the people in our department who oversee and manage these markets are some of the hardest working. I’m just a tourist for the morning.
But the moments where I get to give the gift of fresh food to vulnerable seniors? That’s more than worth the price of admission.
Helping out in other departments is easily the best part of my day.
To be continued…
