Second helpings weren’t an option for Willie Billie during his years at residential school. It’s just one reason the friendly, outgoing diner said he’s a fan of Our Place Society’s annual Thanksgiving meal event.
“I love that we can have seconds because back in the day we weren’t allowed to,” said the First Nations man before he dug into a plate of turkey, vegetables and mashed potatoes last Wednesday.
“You only got one plate, that was it,” said Mexican Harry, his nephew who moved to Victoria from Ahousaht last month.
The men were among hundreds of the region’s most vulnerable citizens who were served an early Thanksgiving dinner at Our Place community centre, 919 Pandora Ave.
Many of them will return to Our Place on Monday at 4 p.m., when Victoria businessman Gordy Dodd and community supporters present the 18th annual Dodd’s Furniture Thanksgiving Dinner there (see story, page D9).
Kitchen staff prepared 1,000 pounds of turkey, 500 pounds of potatoes, 250 pounds of stuffing, 200 pounds of vegetables, 25 gallons of gravy, 56 pounds of cranberry sauce, 125 pumpkin pies and 1,500 cups of coffee.
“It’s about people helping people,” said Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen, one of many local politicians, dignitaries, personalities and community leaders who rolled up their sleeves alongside Our Place volunteers and staff.
“I think we have to show solidarity among our community, that we have to help out wherever we can, whether it be in Oak Bay, Langford or downtown Victoria.”
Victoria city councillor and Hotel Rialto general manager Margaret Lucas said it was an honour helping to serve Thanksgiving dinner to Victoria’s less-fortunate citizens.
“It’s getting tough out there in Victoria, unfortunately, with affordability issues that we’re working hard to address,” she said. “In the meantime, this is something we have to do to help.”
Our Place communications director Grant McKenzie said there has been a noticeable increase in the number of meals being served throughout the year at Our Place.
Last year, there were almost 100,000 more meals served than the year before, and this year it was expected another 100,000 extra meals would be served, he said.
“That tells us we’re not just feeding the homeless and people from [the former tent city],” he said. “We’re seeing a lot of people who are really struggling, people who are housed.”
With the rising cost of living, there are many whose income is going chiefly toward housing, leaving little or nothing left over for food, McKenzie said.
“So we’re starting to see more of those people coming in. We’re starting to see an expansion of poverty, I guess. As a mission, we started off focused on the homeless, and now we’re much more focused on poverty.”
Before the meal began in the main dining room, Oceanna Hall, one of three chaplains on Our Place’s spiritual-care team, invited family members to say grace.
“We make sure we take care of not only physical needs but the spiritual needs we all have as human beings,” said Hall, who is also a mental-health and addictions counsellor.
“Many of our family members are very spiritual people. Even when they come from dire circumstances, they still have that spiritual spark that gives them hope day to day.”
Hall said her team has been heartened by response to a prayer wall in the Our Place drop-in centre.
While family members have expressed their need to have their spiritual aspects addressed, they should also be accorded the kind of respect and treatment most of us take for granted, she said.
That’s why she loves how the Thanksgiving meals at Our Place are structured, Hall said.
“We serve our people. They sit down. They don’t have to go through a line, like at a cafeteria,” she said. “For me that just says how important they are as human beings, and that they deserve to be served.”
