Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Morningstar Mission will be hosting a pair of volunteer orientations this month for anyone interested in helping with the warming centre or Christmas Day lunch.
The warming centre, which will once again be held inside the Napanee Area Community Health Centre, is aiming to open Dec. 15. Whether or not they meet that target is dependant on how many volunteers show up to this Sunday’s orientation, which will be held 12-4 p.m. at the Mission, located at 59 Water Street in Napanee.
“We’ll be doing human trafficking training and non-violent crisis intervention training, which all of our (warming centre) volunteers are required to have,” said Kevin Alkenbrack, executive director at Morningstar Mission.
Launched last year, the warming centre saw over 100 visitors throughout the winter months, operating from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
“If we can’t staff it before Dec. 15, it would open after Christmas,” said Alkenbrack. “It would be really great to get it open for Dec. 15 because the weather isn’t very nice. But that won’t happen unless we have staff that we need and we can get enough volunteers.”
Along with helping to organize the warming centre, which is run in conjunction with Lennox and Addington County, Morningstar is also working on its annual Christmas Day lunch.
This year it will feature a new location, held at the Napanee Lion’s Hall.
An orientation for the Christmas Day lunch will be held Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Mission.
“It takes probably 50-75 volunteers to do it,” Alkenbrack said of the Dec. 25 lunch.
Doors will open at 11 a.m. with the lunch being served at 12:30 p.m. Prior to the lunch there will be a Christmas party, with a gift given to each guest.
The lunch is open to anyone. It’s meant to brighten the holidays for anyone who might otherwise feel lonely.
“I’m hoping (having it at the Lion’s Hall) will encourage a real mix of people,” said Alkenbrack. “There’s lots of people in our community that we know for them Christmas can be a sad time. It can be a real happy time if you have family and plans on Christmas Day, but it can also be a reminder of all the things you lost. That’s been the main driver in the past as to why we want to have a Christmas meal.”
Alkenbrack is hoping to have 200 guests to the dinner.