Walk In Freezer Dedication
Date of the Event: April 12th
What's The Gist?
Through a donation from St. Mary's Luther The Grace Welcome Center was able to install a walk-in freezer. This allows the center to receive, store and pass out to their guest quality meats (turkeys, roast ground beef etc).
What are the details?
The Welcome Center Pantry in Kenosha cut the ribbon Thursday morning, blessed with a new walk-in freezer to assist its breakfast program and food services ministry to the community.
That was the signal that everything would turn around and get more people and more attention by the day.
Bishop Paul Erickson of the Greater Milwaukee Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America attended and participated in the ceremony.
Bishop Erickson attended and participated in the ceremony completely interested. They were happy to see some state representatives attend their ceremony and pleased with a chance to share about their mission.
State Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Kenosha and Mayor John Antaramian joined the ceremony along with the pope and others while barker explained GWC objective.
The more state representatives joining would mean the more attention the GWC would get.
“This is such a big deal for our pantry and our community. In the past, we had to pass on big donations of frozen food, for instance frozen turkeys. Now, when we have the chance to get a hundred turkeys donated we can accept them because we have the space.” Rev. Barker said.
Such a good addition to the pantry which is growing day by day. The freezer allows them to store meat, pork, chicken and ham greatly upgrading stock, quality and value.
St.Mary's Lutheran Church and an anonymous user donated to Grace Welcome Center in the last 12 months. “It is amazing how generous individual donors have been with us as well as our local faith community. It’s wonderful to be part of such a generous community,” Barker Said. The church currently serves around 150 families weekly with between 8,000 and 10,000 pounds of food.
GWC spent 12 months of struggle to make a freezer possible. Now they can serve 150 families each week and in total 8,000 pounds of food.
Who was involved? How were they were involved?
Pastor Barker: Co founder and Pastor of the Grace Welcome Center. He talked through the ceremony as an expert speaker,. He explained the mission of the Grace Welcome Center.
Denise Russell: Grace Welcome Center Pantry Director who who, during the dedication ceremony, spoke about families the center is able to help.
St. Mary's Lutheran Church: Along with an anonymous donor provided the funds for the walk in freezer.
Bishop Paul Erickson: From Greater Milwaukee Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America attended and participated in the dedication ceremony.
Sen. Bob Wirch: State Senator attended and participated in the dedication ceremony.
Rep. Tod Ohnstad: State Representative who spoke about Grace Lutheran Church’s impact on the community during the dedication ceremony.
Mayor John Antaramian; Kenosha Mayor attended and participated in the dedication ceremony.
Rev. Patrick Roberts: Pastor of First Baptist Church in Kenosha, who spoke about poverty and food insecurity during the dedication ceremony.
Why is this event/moment important to the Uptown Community and greater Kenosha?
The freezer helps the community, by aiding those in need. The freezer will deeply impact nutrition and health. With a freezer the GWC can help those in need and raise morale and give them a continuation that gives them a vine of hope to climb.
Sources:
A blessed event_ Grace Welcome Center dedicates new walk-in freezer _ _ kenoshanews.com.pdf(Kenosha News Jan. 28th 2022)
(2022 OFH Lenten Devotions: Grace Welcome Center, Kenosha)
Author of Web Page
Naedelyn Soto 7th Grader at Harborside Academy (May 2022)