The beginnings of the Line of Hope : Ed ask for my version ... here it is !! In October 2014 I received a phone call from Ed. He ask me if I knew how to make pumpkin pie ... I told him I didnt really know how but my daughter Brie did. He told me he had some pumpkins and he wanted us to help him make pies for me to take to Smile Edmonton Line of Hope one weekend when I went there to volunteer. A few days later Ed arrived at my house with this MASSIVE pumpkin (lol) We decided to have fun with it (see pictures)yes that is a sword ...lol.... we ask friends here in Lacombe to help cook and puree the pumpkins and it became a full weekend of pumpkin pie making. It was crazy but such great memories. Somewhere between deciding to make pies and doing it, we decided to take the pies to Red Deer instead of Edmonton on a sunday afternoon ... so along with about five of our friends, Ed & I arrived at the park beside Loaves & Fishes. Ed pulled out a little BBQ and started grilling hot dogs while we pulled out some salads and MANY pies, cupcakes, fruit trays and veggie trays ( from a party the night before that was not used ) and people started coming to inquire what we were doing and what was that yummy smell 😆 We had a great afternoon, I think we fed around 50 people that first afternoon. We were all smiling as we left and we decided to do it again and then again .... Tom had been making bags for the homeless and somebody wrote a story about it on a facebook page ( I think it was ) and people started contacting him and donating things for the bags !! I think both the bbq and this was happening at about the same time ..... People sent me Toms name and people sent him my name. .. the second or third week of our BBQ we met up with Tom and decided we would all like to work together to help those in need. Modeling our BBQ after the Line of Hope in Edmonton, the BBQ became Line of Hope Red Deer Style We have had such a great bunch of volunteers since the beginning ..... so many people have stepped up and taken on other roles that needed to be filled that Ed, Tom & myself did not have time to do. Curtis & Cheryl took on the clothing ( clothing boutique on wheels) Marilyn took on the bags for Christmas and so much more ...and so it began !!!! None of us ,besides Ed & I had ever met before this started 😊 but we became a team ! Ed made a facebook page and that is where most of you found us and we found you !! TOGETHER WE ALL MAKE THE MOST INCREDIBLE TEAM 💕💞 Thank you to each one of you that have chosen to become part of the team .... without you and your mad cooking skills, donations etc none of this would be possible ! Since that day in October the line has changed so much to work better for the people here in Red Deer. We have changed times & locations a few times but it was necessary to make the line work. We have had the great privilege of meeting so many awesome people on both sides of the line.... the volunteers & our guests ! Red Deer & area has to be one of the most giving communities ever !
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 04:56:53 +0000