News
ENLARGE
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The line of people outside the soup kitchen was shorter than usual Tuesday.
Grand Valley Transit buses were not operating Tuesday due to unplowed roads, and so the North Avenue homeless shelter for the first time in history allowed its guests to stay inside the shelter for the day. Normally, the shelter is closed during the day.
Those who did traipse through unshoveled sidewalks to the soup kitchen were treated to fresh-egg omelets, courtesy of Colorado Egg, a Fruita corporate chicken farm.
Sidewalks in front of Grand Valley Catholic Outreach were among the few in the area cleared by 10:30 a.m. Three men were shoveling the sidewalks while they waited for the mid-day meal.
“They help us so we're helping them,” said Lonnie Greer, an infrequent soup kitchen guest.
For the past three years the egg company, owned by Glenn Hickman of Arizona and Greg Nelson of Kansas, have set aside a day when they and their families come to Colorado to cook omelets at the Grand Valley Catholic Outreach soup kitchen. The company donates enough eggs to cook two-egg omelets for about 250 people.
“The community's been good to us. It's a small way to recognize our community and how well we've been treated,” said Hickman, who along with Nelson, bought Colorado Egg three years ago. Mike O'Connor manages the Fruita farm.
The company also recently donated 1,800 eggs to the Food Bank of the Rockies, and to a food drive sponsored by Sorter Construction, designated for the Community Food Bank, O'Connor said.
The soup kitchen, located at 245 S. First St., has experienced a 20 percent increase in clients from last year.
Due to the inclement weather Catholic Outreach's Day Center and outreach offices were closed Tuesday.
“But we weren't worried because the egg company was coming today and we know farmers can get anywhere,” said soup kitchen manager Angela Walsh.
“And our loyal Tuesday volunteers carpooled and got here to help too.”
After she heard people were being allowed to stay inside the homeless shelter for the day, Walsh wondered how many people would show up for the omelets. Leftovers could always be served Wednesday, she said.
“I'm going to open the doors and see what happens. They'll come,” she said.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
Grand Valley Transit buses were not operating Tuesday due to unplowed roads, and so the North Avenue homeless shelter for the first time in history allowed its guests to stay inside the shelter for the day. Normally, the shelter is closed during the day.
Those who did traipse through unshoveled sidewalks to the soup kitchen were treated to fresh-egg omelets, courtesy of Colorado Egg, a Fruita corporate chicken farm.
Sidewalks in front of Grand Valley Catholic Outreach were among the few in the area cleared by 10:30 a.m. Three men were shoveling the sidewalks while they waited for the mid-day meal.
“They help us so we're helping them,” said Lonnie Greer, an infrequent soup kitchen guest.
For the past three years the egg company, owned by Glenn Hickman of Arizona and Greg Nelson of Kansas, have set aside a day when they and their families come to Colorado to cook omelets at the Grand Valley Catholic Outreach soup kitchen. The company donates enough eggs to cook two-egg omelets for about 250 people.
“The community's been good to us. It's a small way to recognize our community and how well we've been treated,” said Hickman, who along with Nelson, bought Colorado Egg three years ago. Mike O'Connor manages the Fruita farm.
The company also recently donated 1,800 eggs to the Food Bank of the Rockies, and to a food drive sponsored by Sorter Construction, designated for the Community Food Bank, O'Connor said.
The soup kitchen, located at 245 S. First St., has experienced a 20 percent increase in clients from last year.
Due to the inclement weather Catholic Outreach's Day Center and outreach offices were closed Tuesday.
“But we weren't worried because the egg company was coming today and we know farmers can get anywhere,” said soup kitchen manager Angela Walsh.
“And our loyal Tuesday volunteers carpooled and got here to help too.”
After she heard people were being allowed to stay inside the homeless shelter for the day, Walsh wondered how many people would show up for the omelets. Leftovers could always be served Wednesday, she said.
“I'm going to open the doors and see what happens. They'll come,” she said.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
