HUMBOLDT 鈥� A joint effort between the Humboldt Broncos and the Humboldt Soup Kitchen raised more than $2,000 for the non-profit.
The soup kitchen serves between 65 and 90 people every Tuesday at the Gathering Place. On Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and New Year鈥檚, it can serve over 100 people.
Scott Barney, the Broncos鈥� head coach, said his entire team was at the Feb. 20 event.
Hometown product and Broncos forward Reagan Poncelet said he enjoys giving back and trying to make a positive impact on people鈥檚 lives.
鈥淚f there is anyway that I can put a smile on someone鈥檚 face or just make someone鈥檚 day better, I think that鈥檚 crucial,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he people of Humboldt have supported me all the way through my life and I can鈥檛 thank them enough for everything, off the ice and on the ice.鈥�
Dave Atamanchuk, the event鈥檚 MC, said back in 2010, one man had a dream.
鈥淭hat man was James Folster,鈥� he said. 鈥淗is dream was to provide one meal a week, one free meal a week, to people, some that didn鈥檛 have any meals during the week.
It began with seven people. Then it quickly expanded to 20.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 do that because you鈥檙e you want a pat on the back,鈥� Atamanchuk said. 鈥淵ou do because that鈥檚 the kind of person you are.鈥�
The soup kitchen moved to the Gathering Place, which provides the space free of charge. The organization, in fact, relies on donations for all of its operations.
Folster said the effort was small at the beginning, but grew to the point where he needed an assistant, and then the assistant needed an assistant.
鈥淚t just grew and grew and grew to where it is today,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to thank God and all these wonderful people. I鈥檝e made so many friends. It鈥檚 just been a wonderful journey.鈥�
Folster announced last April that he wanted to retire from his role as soup kitchen co-ordinator. He told Jamie Erb that he wanted him to take his place.
Erb said he didn鈥檛 think Folster would step back, let alone think that he might take the position on.
Erb said he prayed about it before taking it on.
鈥淚 have found this is the best position I鈥檝e ever had in my entire life,鈥� he said.
鈥淭here is something we get in return when we help people. There is something that is unexplainable that happens inside of you when you can give something to somebody that needs it 鈥� especially somebody that needs it.鈥�
鈥� with files from Robin Wark
