Village Project receives gifts of new kitchen and office equipment

They say that good things come in small packages, but occasionally, good things also come in VERY BIG packages. Although the task of dealing with big things can be daunting, having the help of many good people is the best gift of all.

Village Project recently announced it is proceeding forward with its plans for doubling the number of cooking days each week from two to four. In the past month, kitchen renovations have been made that will facilitate the ability to cook larger portions more easily and efficiently. All of the equipment, furniture and labor were donated, and Village Project is most grateful to the many good people involved.

A new kitchen hood was donated and installed with the help of several businesses and individuals who supplied the hood, labor and custom duct work, two exhaust fans and the perforated supply plenum, a make-up air unit and architectural plans.

Village Project program manager Janis Reinke explained the hood’s benefits. “The hood is an amazing gift that will help remove excess heat from our kitchen, while providing fresh air to keep the kitchen comfortable for volunteers working hard to make meals for our clients. The addition of a fire suppression system allows for a new level of safety in our kitchen and also allows for expansion of additional kitchen equipment in the future, which will increase our kitchen capacity, and ultimately, the number of clients we can serve.”

The Bay Village City Schools also got into the act by contributing a two-compartment sink that originally was located at Westerly School. The two-compartment sink allows Village Project volunteers to easily and thoroughly wash the large bowls and pans they use in preparing sizable quantities of food for its growing client base.

In addition to the kitchen renovation, gently used office furniture was donated by Community West Foundation, which is relocating its offices. Village Project Executive Director Barb Harrell expressed her gratitude, saying, “Community West has been a tremendous support to VP in terms of grants, advice, furnishings and overall partnership. It’s so nice to have operational furniture!” Harrell also offered thanks to St. Raphael Parish for allowing Village Project to use their kitchen to prepare meals while the VP kitchen was under construction.

Donors:

  • Total Line Refrigeration of Avon Lake and LK Heating and Cooling of North Olmsted – hood labor and custom duct work
  • Tom Anderson, CaptiveAire – exhaust fans and the perforated supply plenum
  • Steve Holbrook, Accurex – make-up air unit
  • John Cipriani, Dubick Fixture & Supply in Cleveland and the Larkin Corporation – hood
  • Clete Miller – architectural plans
  • Bay Village City Schools – two-compartment sink
  • Community West Foundation – office furniture
  • Quality Select Homes, Chernisky Residential Design and Textbook Painting – use of moving trucks
  • Mannix Construction, Leonard’s Plumbing, Spartan Electric and carpenter Jim Cheeks – general support
  • St. Raphael Parish – temporary use of kitchen space

Diane Frye

I am a Bay Village resident and a volunteer for Village Project. 

Read More on Community Service
Volume 8, Issue 16, Posted 9:50 AM, 08.16.2016