With wood blazing in the oven and chili awaiting eager tasters, it was a night of celebration in Bissell Park with the ribbon cutting celebrating an official opening to Elora’s Kitchen in the Park.
In addition to recognizing the many volunteers, the night also marked the unveiling of a donor wall.
Staci Barron thanked those gathered for joining in the celebration.
“Four years ago, in my backyard, standing among 2,000 kiln bricks, an idea was born to build a community oven in Elora … with my girlfriend here, Trish (VanKatwyk).”
Barron added “three years ago this December, the township council with incredible support from then parks and recreation director Andy Goldie, the idea was approved.
“One year ago, approximately 100 volunteers gathered together and reached out to KIPP executives and asked how can we help.
“The quantity and quality of those ideas at times were overwhelming.
“There were many, many days where I would ask – what kind of friendly monster have we created.
She described it as an incredible project to create a pizza oven in the park in Elora, which could be used as a tool to build the community, offer curriculum based programming for children by teaching them to measure and bake,
Moreover, the program would allow work with youth and women at risk.
She said there were numerous moments of generosity which allowed her to persevere through the obstacles KIPP presented.
“Last year, Marilyn Koop in her passing, asked that KIPP be given a chance to grow and thrive and asked the community to join her by asking that the community make donations in her honour.
“It was a reaffirmation to us KIPPers, that we are on the right track.”
“This project has given me the opportunity to work with some of the finest people these communities have to offer.
She added there dedication has been overwhelmingly amazing.
“Wonderful lifetime friendships have been born, because of my and your interest in the project – you know who you are. Thank you. My life is so much richer because you are in it now.”
She also took time during her presentation to individual thank numerous individuals and the role they played in bringing the project to life – including the donor wall which was also unveiled that night.
She noted KIPP has been fortunate to have five rotations of help from Portage.
“They are so capable and have so much to give. I am so glad that KIPP is here to show them what volunteering can look like.”
She also thanked town staff and council for its support.
“Its been an immense pleasure working with all of you.”
She also thanked her husband and kids who have supported her.
As the donor wall was unveiled Barron invited those present to take a moment to look “at all the amazing people who have contributed to this build.”
Centre Wellington CAO Andy Goldie offered his congratulations to those involved in KIPP.
“I know you’ve been working at this for a number of years. In my view, this is what community is all about. “
Goldie added “It is also exciting to see the master plan for Bissell Park moving along.”
He pointed to the completion of the boardwalk and now the KIPP project.
“There’s a lot more exciting things coming along for Bissell Park.”
Trish VanKatwyk, chair of the KIPP board, said a few weeks ago she was talking to a friend in regard to a recent incident in Keya.
At that time an American man was in the village trying to engage the children in play.
He had a big bag of candy and pointed to a distant tree saying the first child reaching the tree would get the bag of candy.
The response was without hesitation, the children grabbed each other’s hands and ran to the tree together so they could all win the race and the candy.
“It is just one story about ‘we’ rather than ‘I’.”
VanKatwyk said “Kitchen in the Park is another one of those stories.”
She said on behalf of the KIPP board she asked those in attendance to look around and think about how powerful and idea can be and what can be accomplished together.
“It is wonderful.”
VanKatwyk added “Staci is one of the founders of the Kitchen in the Park project, and from the very beginning has put in a tremendous amount of time and effort into this project.”
In the past four months Barron has served a very specific role as project coordinator, she said.
“We have been left this wonderful project. This is ours and we can make it as big as we want it to be.”
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj comment “this has been such a great night, first in the celebration of the boardwalk (constructed by the Elora Lions Club) and now this.”
“I remember a couple of years back going into Staci’s shop as she was thinking about this idea, and I still have this little magnet on my fridge which I will never trade in for a loaf of bread.”
When Barron talked about the project “I just knew in my heart, that with the passion she had, that this was all going to come together.”
“I treasure that magnet, but I also treasure the fact that she would update her facebook every day with a story about KIPP.”
Ross-Zuj said those communications showed how the community worked together to make a beautiful thing happen.
She anticipated the continuation of very good work in the community.
Barron stressed that this project was a team effort, “without all of you we would not be enjoying this night.”
Along with a brief ribbon cutting in front of the oven, Barron said diligent volunteers have been up since early morning baking, while others in the community were making chili to enjoy.
