The grill man flipped burgers overtop the ‘Carbeque’ while volunteers and Kelowna residents stood afoot waiting to grab a patty for themselves at Kelowna’s Gospel Mission (KGM) annual Well Done BBQ on Wednesday, June 19.
Kelowna-West MLA Ben Stewart took centre stage to share a few words, during the day’s event.
“[Without] Randy (Benson, KGM executive director)and the volunteers here; for a lot of people who are here or out on the street, they would not have the help or the services that they need to be certain that they get shelter,” said Stewart.
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RCMP shook familiar hands of the shelter occupants, people who experience homelessness spoke with members of government over a cheeseburger, and cross-disciplinary professionals who operate in the same field got the chance to sit down and meet their estranged colleagues.
“It was an idea that came up a few years ago to recognize the working together, the collaboration of the various service organizations,” said Randy Benson, KGM executive director. “And, to celebrate the fact that we’re not working in silos, we’re working together to address the issues of poverty and homelessness in our community.
“Well Done works well because we want the burgers to be well done, but it’s kind of a congratulations to all of us saying, ‘Job well done.’”
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David.venn@kelownacapnews.com
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