July 22nd Service at Mainspring House

On Wednesday, July 22nd, PP Charlie M., PP Jo-Ann C., member Mike T., and new member Bill A. helped serve the evening meal at Mainspring House in Brockton, MA. For those who aren't sure what Mainspring House is ... here is a link to their website, which explains in greater detail ... Mainspring House & Father Bill's Place.

The Union Congo church in E.B. provided the food ... pasta, meatballs, salad fixings, bread/rolls, and homemade chocolate chip cookies (courtesy of Kiwanis-Baker-Extraordinaire Susan M.) ... and the four of us helped to prep and serve the meal.

Mainspring's 'executive chef' and kitchen chief, Craig, gave us all instructions and led us through the process. He'd already made a ~HUGE~ batch of chicken cacciatore, and when we arrived he quickly and efficiently prepared the pasta and the meatballs w/ sauce. The K-team assembled the salads (approx. 60 of them)and set out the dressings, bread/butter, cheese, plates, etc.

When the time came for the meal to be served, we observed the efficient manner in which Mainspring staff allows the people to enter the dining hall, go through the food line, and then sit down and eat. First to enter are the people going through a recovery program and those who work at Mainspring. After they finish, women who are waiting outside are allowed to come in and eat. Once the women are seated, Craig counts the number of available seats and they allow that number of men assembled outside to come in.

I lost count after the first 30 or so people, but I believe we served somewhere in the vicinity of 80 people. Each and every person was appreciative of our efforts, and almost all thanked us graciously for serving and assisting.

Once there were no more people waiting outside, Craig called out to those still in the dining room that they could come back up for seconds if they wished ... there was a controlled stampede at that point! I can't vouch for the tastiness of the meal, other than from the rave reviews received by all those served, but it sure smelled delicious, so I can understand why they wanted more!

After the serving was finished, Craig informed us that the rest of the people who had eaten would finish cleaning up & we were able to leave. The service we provided at Mainspring House was valuable, relevant, and certainly eye-opening. I would encourage each and every member of the club to volunteer for this service opportunity in August if they are able. It's certainly a humbling experience, as 'there but for the Grace of God, go I.'