Because No One Should Go Hungry ...

I guess 2009 has found me MIA on my blog ... not intentionally but probably more due to trying to get life back on track after illness, busy schedules etc. Now I'm feeling better and ready to get back to those things that bring JOY to my heart.
What a great Valentine's Day celebration ... many new experiences, new tastes, new JOYs.
Our day started off at 8:00 a.m. at the TCC parking lot meeting the Tuesday @ Five group + our husbands. During our Bible studies we have been challenged to make service a part of our life. We have been wanting to find a way to put "hands and feet" to what we've taken into our hearts. Thanks, Melney for coordinating this wonderful service event. We journeyed over to the Oregon Food Bank, which just happens to be located in our childhood stomping ground ... right across from Riverside Little League.
Our group was assigned to the Food Recovery Center. It's a fast-paced, food sorting adventure. There were various job assignments ... some assembled boxes, a crew un-boxed huge boxes of donated non-perishable food, others read food labels to determine the product was peanut-free. Then the excitement began ... the food items traveled down a conveyor belt and a group stood ready to fill boxes to the brim. Finally, the filled boxes rapidly moved down the conveyor belt to be sealed and stacked on pallets. The conveyor belt brought back childhood memories of the TV show Lucy and the chocolate factory episode!
Volunteering here is quite an organized effort. I was on "tape gun" detail and became quite proficient at it : ) while Walt assembled boxes in the first-stage process -- (pictures to follow) What a fun, meaningful way to give of your time. When you have completed the day's task the volunteer team gives you statistics on what was accomplished during your shift. Each person volunteering in the Food Recovery Center fed 322 people from our efforts! It's amazing what can be done in only a few hours when people work together for a great cause.
I would definitely volunteer here again. In fact, during my summer break I would love to spend time volunteering there. They even have a garden! If you are interested in being a part of this program, call 503.972.2993 or volunteer@oregonfoodbank.org.
To satisfy our hunger our group drove downtown to Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery for a delicious lunch. I have never been disappointed with anything I've ordered off their menu. Next time I'm ordering their soft pretzel appetizer. YUM ... just a one-bite sample sold me!
Our evening was a great new experience ... dining at McCormick & Schmick's in Bridgeport with the Dehaze's. We celebrated Valentine's Day and their 33rd anniversary with a delicious meal, great conversation, and the JOY of spending time with such dear friends. The restaurant was extremely busy ... a five hour wait to be seated and they had nearly 850 reservations for Valentine dinner. Our celebration wasn't finished there ... we went over to Donna & Pierre's and played a very competitive round of Rummikub while listening to the "oldies." Pierre's decadent dessert, Creme Brulee finished off our evening.
What an amazing day! Now back to reality ... and fewer calories : )