LEROYPENNYSAVER&NEWS - SEPTEMBER 11, 2016
Dear LeRoyans andneighbors,
As you read in lastweek’s publication of The LeRoy
Pennysaver, LCCP’sGrace’sKitchen has closed its doors
as of September 6th, 2016.
First of all, letme say that it has beenmy honor and
privilege to provide a healthfulmeal eachTuesday evening
for anywho chose to attend, and tomake suremealswere delivered
to thosewhowere unable to get out to enjoy our delightful dining experience.
Grace’sKitchenwas started because there is, and continues to be, hunger inLeRoy.Whenwe
opened onValentinesDay of 2012, 1 in4 children at LeRoyCentral Schoolwas receiving free
or reduced breakfast and lunch on a daily basis.
It has been a community effort tobring thismeal toyou eachweek for 4½years.Without your
generous gifts of monetary donations and volunteer hours, we would never have been able to
realize this success. The BackpackClub gave us our beginning “nest egg”.Wewere a separate
entity fromLCCP in termsof funds raised, andwewereblessed tohavenever spent time in the
“red”.Wewere able to be aFoodlinkmember agency, which helped greatly aswell.
I am especiallygrateful to theBoard of LCCP,whichwent out on a limb to letme try this. The
accounting staff at LCCP, and the executive and assistant director helpedus faithfully. LeRoy
UnitedMethodistChurchwasourhome for threeyearsand theMasonicCommunityCenter for
the past year and a half-immeasureable thanks for your generosity and kindness in hostingus
andworkingwithus. Topsprovideduswitha share of theday-oldbakedgoods everyTuesday.
Several localmusiciansprovidedsomegreat tunes forourdiningenjoyment!Farmersandeager
gardeners in Le Roy provided us with butter, beef, fruits and vegetables. The “ladies from St.
Brigid’s” tookoverserving in thediningroomonmanyoccasions.Patti fromLifetimeAssistance
was ourmost consistent dining room set-up pro. The third grade classes fromLeRoyCentral
came once amonth this past year to set up the dining room andmade themost remarkable and
very original placematswhichwere enjoyed by all. Several organizations and individuals in
LeRoy and outside of LeRoywere consistent financial contributors to our cause, and to them
I am deeplygrateful.
Truthfully, the volunteers have reallybeenTHEglue that heldus together. Theywere ‘over the
top’ in terms of loyalty, cooking and servingwith a smile, loads of laughter, tears of loss, and
friendship. We have become a true family of people who came together to provide something
more special than a “soup kitchen” eachweek to our community.
Surprisingly, ourbiggestcrowdcame fromourseniorcommunityhereand inCaledonia,Henri-
etta, Pavilion, Perry, Batavia, Scottsville andStafford. Itwas agreat place for them to socialize
andmake new friends, and for us to get to know and appreciate some pretty amazing elders.
This has been a labor of love forme, and for all of us at Grace’s Kitchen.MayGod bless you,
and thank you for 4½wonderful years!
Graciously, SelbyDavis
