The Lord’s Diner cooks for the Y

The flock of frozen turkeys tightly huddled in the Lord’s Diner’s walk-ins is much smaller this week.

The birds made their way – with plenty of sides – to hundreds of plates for the patrons of the Diner and for those who took a seat in a gym-full of tables at the YMCA, located cattycorner from the Diner, for the Y’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon served the day before the national holiday.

Jan Haberly, the Diner’s executive director, said she thought this was the ministry’s fourth year cooking for the Y. It means a lot of extra work during an otherwise busy week, but said it was a natural extension of the Diner’s mission.

Staff and volunteers moved many of the freezer’s turkey overpopulation Monday, Nov. 25, to the ovens. “Tuesday morning we had volunteers debone about 120 turkeys,” she said, “which is the most labor-intensive part of the whole process.”

Other volunteers and staff cooked the rest of the menu for the estimated 1,200 YMCA diners: stuffing, green beans, and mashed potatoes and gravy. Bread and dessert were also served.

The Y and other Wichita business volunteers have been serving the meals for decades there, but the diner was only recently recruited after the loss of the agency that previously cooked.

“We thought we were the only people who could help them out without them having to pay a caterer, which would kind of negate the whole thing for them,” she said, adding that being across the street was another good reason.

Volunteers needed at the Diner

The Lord’s Diner has many volunteers who generously give of their time and talent, but that the ministry is in need of more. Those interested may call 316-266-4966 or email volunteer@Catholic
DioceseOfWichita.org.