Bethany College Students Volunteer at Soup Kitchen
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BETHANY - Six Bethany College students and a faculty member traveled to the Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling earlier this month for a service project planned by the Student Activities Council.
"Showing up to help the Soup Kitchen workers shows the community that Bethany College is here, and that we're ready to help," said student organizer Hunter Tenney, a sophomore social work major from Buckhannon. "It's showing that Bethany breeds great people, not just outstanding students. The community can benefit from the students, just like the student population can benefit from the community."
Students Daniel Blum, Ben Fedoush, Wesley Crockett, Emilee Jarrell and Whitney Abbott also participated in the Nov. 2 event. They were joined by Melanee Sinclair, associate professor of social work and coordinator of social work field placements.
The Wheeling Soup Kitchen, 1610 Eoff St., serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday to anyone in need. About 150 people were served on Nov. 2, said Laura Mendoza, executive assistant of the Soup Kitchen. At the end of the month, she said the kitchen serves upward of 250 diners.
The students helped open and close the kitchen, organized candy bags, sorted and restocked bread racks, served food and drinks, sorted donated clothing, cleaned the tables and food line, swept and mopped.
Mendoza said the Soup Kitchen, which offers a family-friendly environment, welcomes groups of all sizes to supplement its staff of nine individuals, only three of whom work full-time.
She added that the kitchen is "100 percent community funded."
"It's always helpful when groups come," Mendoza said. "They get to learn about the place when they come. There are some people who have a bad (impression of) soup kitchens and they won't walk through our doors."