A FREE dinner bringing Junee residents together has just a handful of dates left.
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Started by Carole Windsor and Annette Turk with the support of Junee’s Combined Churches, Open Kitchen provides a meal and friendship every Monday to those who need it.
For many it’s become more than dinner and has become part of their weekly routine where they catch up with friends.
With just a few Monday nights left, Mrs Windsor is hoping one of Junee’s other churches will take on the program, which been a success for the Presbyterian Church.
“It’s an outreach program … it’s connecting with people who are not normally connecting,” she said.
“It’s so beneficial and so rewarding … it’s become another family to me, our guests and our volunteers.”
Mrs Windsor said many of the guests were single people or young families who had little support or who were new to the district.
“It’s for everyone and it’s not just a free dinner, it’s a social outing, meeting new people and getting to know the community.”
Mrs Windsor said the event had helped develop support networks for some guests and provide them with space to learn social skills.
Up to 30 people could be found at the William Nowland Hall on a Monday night and Mrs Windsor said Open Kitchen could not be run without help.
She highlighted the contribution of John and Lyn Ford, who worked with REAP an off-shoot of OzHarvest to deliver Open Kitchen with surplus fresh produce from supermarkets.
Jan and Graham Patron have assisted with preparing meals while Val Robinson provided transport for guest and Brian Beasley who provided some musical entertainment.
She said there were many more who help with the cleaning up and the serving up over the past four years.
The Open Kitchen team has won an Australia Day award for Volunteer Team of the Year earlier this year.
“I would love someone or another church to take over Open Kitchen so the outreach program can continue,” Mrs Windsor said.
Mrs Windsor said the Open Kitchen could not have operated for four years without the support of the community, through donations of produce to time spent over the stove preparing food.
The final Open Kitchen starts on December 7.