Volunteering for a Cause and for Fun

Since Himself and I took the volunteer orientation at Whole Foods last month, we have worked at two events.  It’s so different working a class rather than taking it!  We get there about an hour before the program starts (either a class or a special catered event) and help with set-up. 

 

This means we get the trays set up that hold the components of each recipe, including pre-measured ingredients.  The student tables need to be set and the paperwork put in place.  Each setting must also have an apron (if a class) draped over the chair.

 

We stepped in last week when there weren’t enough volunteers and worked a class called “Desserts for Two”.  It ended up being us and one other volunteer!  Thankfully Drew was an old hand at this and could make up for having to greenhorns in the kitchen with him!  LOL  It was a wee bit crazy since we were still short volunteers but we made it happen.

 

The cool part about working classes is that we are observing the lesson, helping the students as they work (therefore getting a bit of experience ourselves), and we get to eat the meal too!  Also we can have a set of the recipes being taught that night.  It’s not hard at all to munch away on ‘vanilla chiffon genoise’, peaches flambé, chocolate mousse, or little fruit tarts.  Mmmmmm… 

 

The special event we worked was a whole different ball game.  We showed up and our job was to plate the food, while students affiliated with the event served.  Then we cleaned up when it was over.  Pretty easy, even tho a bit tiring (standing so long on those concrete floors wears me out!). 

 

 

One reason we wanted to do this particular special event was that it was a fund raiser.  It was to benefit the Visitation Hospital in Haiti.  http://www.visitationhospital.org/   Here’s a little bit about their work:

 

 

“VHF was founded in 1999 with a mission to provide competent and compassionate healthcare to the people of southwest Haiti and to empower them with resources to pursue their basic right to health and health education.  Our initial project was to create the site, infrastructure and buildings for a rural hospital and clinic in one of the most widely underserved Nippes Department of Haiti. In January 2008, the first part of this goal was realized with the completion and opening of Visitation Clinic. Visitation Clinic has become a model for creating transformative healthcare in rural Haiti.”

 

 

Besides the dinner fund raiser, there was also a silent auction of donated items…many from Haiti.  We wanted to donate to the cause so I bid on a bead set that had gotten no bids.  After all, it is for a great cause.

 

http://www.vhfhaiti.blogspot.com/