Greg Torrance and MP Kim Rudd
Money will be used to Renovate the Kitchen at St. Paul’s United Church
“I know it is used by the community so much for dinners and events and the kitchen of course is the lifeblood of those events.” MP Kim Rudd
Article & Images by Sue Dickens
Warkworth – An informal celebration was held yesterday, May 10, in The Gathering Place of St. Paul’s United Church with MP Kim Rudd offering congratulations on the approval of a $25,000 New Horizons for Seniors Grant for kitchen renovations.
Greg Torrance, Trustee with the church, described the kitchen as, “the backbone of the facility,” and added, “the church is the backbone of inclusivity and diversity and volunteerism.”
It is the United Church Women (UCW) who does all the meals that are served for special functions and to groups such as the Warkworth Community Service Club when they hold their meetings in The Gathering Place.
“These girls (UCW) deserve what they are getting,” Greg added, joking about being an honourary UCW member. His wife Janet is a member of the UCW. The group has 15 to 20 members.
The kitchen is also used by David Lyons and the participants in The Abundance Project. “I know David needs it too working with community youth,” added Greg.
The Abundance Project is a community-based organization focused on promoting healthy eating, sustainable growing practices and food preparation skills.
MP Kim Rudd:
“I am here today to help you celebrate an application that came in for the renovation of the kitchen,” said MP Kim Rudd.
“I know the kitchen is used by the community so much for dinners and events and the kitchen of course is the lifeblood of those events. And I know it’s run by volunteers, by people who support the community. Money is raised for various events and sometimes it’s just people coming together.”
MP Rudd explained the maximum allowable under the current grant program is $25,000 but that is about to change.
“I am on the finance committee now and some of us are pushing for this fund to be more because we are getting so many applications, so it got doubled to $100 million over five years,” she said, encouraging more grant applications be submitted for community needs.
MP Rudd talked about how small communities in her riding are benefitting from the grant including accessible washrooms in Bewdley, a gardening program at Cobourg Library, and a lawn bowling program bringing youth and seniors together.
“So it can be used for so many things and the kitchen is a need for this community,” she added.
MP Rudd said the grant money can be used for many things, as long as the project includes seniors.
“Alderville is using the grant for teaching cooking for traditional foods to make sure they (the elder generation) transition their knowledge to the next generation and it gets them into the community and engaged especially in the winter months when it is not nice outside,” she commented.
Trent Hills Mayor and Councillors:
As part of the celebration Trent Hills Mayor Bob Crate was joined by the local councillors for that ward, Councillor Ken Tully and Councillor Rick English.
“It’s a tribute to the community that you work so hard so well together,” said Mayor Crate while thanking MP Rudd “for all she does for us.”
Councillor Tully commented, “Thank you Kim for the money. This is a building I have gotten to know in the last several years. Coming here for the service club (WCSC), they do a lot of great work. I know it takes a good grant writer to get this money and it is so great the kitchen is going forward.”
Councillor Rick English offered his congratulations and noted, “This is a fine group here.”
Rev. Meggin King:
Rev. Meggin King, who became the church minister last August (2018), said a few words. She described being “awestruck” by the community and church family. She commented on how, “the community works together for all activities that take part here. All these people do outreach, connecting with each other, building relationships.”
She added, “To be here at St. Paul’s and be part of the committees that work together, do the work we do in order to reach out to our community landscape is inspiring and I am so grateful so glad that we’ve come together today. It’s come to fruition.”
Rev. Meggin King offered blessings and said, “We give thanks to God…to the creator in each and every one of us for that spirit of love and cooperation that has brought us together in this place today.”
The UCW of St. Paul’s Church:
The UCW women who were at the celebration agreed with member Janice Laver who said, “This is going to make life a lot easier in here and make our time in here much easier.”
The money will be used for new floors in three areas, new counter tops, and new cabinets too. The existing doorway will be sealed and a new one created that provides for a safer exit from the kitchen for the women when carrying hot food out and dishes back in.
Another UCW member, Ruth Orr, said there was a donation for a new dishwasher in the past but this will be the first renovation to the kitchen which was put in the church in 1964. The church itself is 167 years old.
Joking that she has been a member of the UCW “since I was born,” Ruth talked about the money they raise by preparing meals for functions.
“We put new carpet in the fellowship room of the church,” she noted.
As well the UCW donates to a number of groups including The Salvation Army, Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre and the two area hospitals, to name a few.
“The church (and kitchen) is the hub of everything. That’s the nice thing about this. And the UCW is such a big part of the church,” she noted.
There was, at one point in time, as many as four or five UCW groups and before that the Ladies Aid and Women’s Missionary Society.
In conclusion MP Rudd said she hopes to be back to see the kitchen when the work has been completed. The grant allows for a one-year timeframe for the work to be done.
