Local Salvation Army soup kitchen, Kate’s Kitchen, serves up lunches for dozens of less fortunate citizens of Trail every week but after a weekend appliance failure the menu will be considerably more limited for some time.
The breakdown of a meat freezer at the well-known local charity over the weekend caused the loss of almost $1,000 worth of meat and milk products and has volunteers hoping for a timely donation.
“It probably went out on Friday but it was such an old freezer it’s probably not surprising,” said Kate’s Kitchen volunteer, Linda Radtke. “We came in on Monday and it was so hot in the building and everything was floating in about a foot of water.”
Radtke said the broken appliance was one of a number of freezers used by the kitchen that are all of about the same vintage but unfortunately was the one that held the food of the highest value and most damaged by thawing.
“If it had been the bread freezer it wouldn’t have been so much of a problem,” Radtke said. “As it is, we did get some milk in (Tuesday) but meat is going to be slim for awhile. We’re hoping to claim it on insurance but the adjusters are away so I don’t know yet.”
Radtke says the charity is hoping someone will be able to donate another freezer eventually to help them out but that they would really hope that any replacement might be a bit more up to date and reliable than their remaining appliances.
Anyone willing to make a timely donation of a freezer or meat to Kate’s Kitchen can contact Radtke at (250) 364-0445.