by Rachel Hunter
Paul Trombley, Jr. cooking spaghetti in the Kinney Drugs Foundation Kitchen at the Gouverneur Community Center for the the good will dinner on Saturday, May 2. (Rachel Hunter photo)
The Gouverneur Community Center in conjunction with the volunteer kitchen staff from the St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging organized a Good Will Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, May 2, 3 to 5 p.m., at the Gouverneur Community Center. The endeavor was spearheaded by Paul Trombley, Jr., well-known as the Gouverneur Nutrition Center cook in his role as Food and Nutrition Services Assistant with the St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging.
Wanting a way to give back to the community, Trombley contacted Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr and worked hand-in-hand with the volunteer kitchen staff from the SLC Office for the Aging, Gouverneur Community Center staff, and other volunteers to put on this dinner. Supervisor Spilman said the SLC Office for the Aging allowed them to use their food service permit to put on the dinner. Donations from the dinner were collected to benefit local food pantries within a 15-mile radius, including the Gouverneur Neighborhood Center food pantry and the Grace Food Pantry in Gouverneur.
At the event’s 3 p.m. start time, Mr. Trombley stated that 40 pounds of spaghetti, 1,300 meatballs, and 300 rolls were ready to serve the hungry community members. The meal also included tossed salad. He said that each pound of spaghetti would serve about four people. Organizers said that there was plenty of food for anyone who wanted to partake of the dinner.
As motorists turned into the parking lot to the Gouverneur Community Center, they were guided by clearly marked instructions on traffic codes, showing them how to use the curbside pickup. They were assisted in this endeavor by enthusiastic volunteers. Motorists turned left at the parking lot/basketball court area, turning again so that their vehicle would run parallel alongside the sidewalk in front of the Gouverneur Community Center. The motorists, even observing social distance with their vehicles, kept the cars separated by a fair distance during the curbside pick-up process. Upon arrival at the designated curbside pick-up site, all motorists were asked by volunteers how many dinners were being requested, and then word was then relayed to a team of volunteers, busy at work to make the event a success.
Volunteers Deb Andrews of Gouverneur and Lisa Wood of Gouverneur fill plastic bags with spaghetti dinners in take-out containers. Also pictured: Village of Gouverneur Police Chief Laurina Greenhill (back center).
Inside the Gouverneur Community Center, volunteers worked to fill out “orders” inside the Kinney Drugs Foundation Kitchen. There also Mr. Trombley was putting the finishing touches on cooking the spaghetti dinner. Volunteers took the prepared food and formed a relay line to fill the take-out containers. Then volunteers took the take-out containers, put them into large warming containers, and brought them out to volunteers positioned curbside in front of the Gouverneur Community Center who were in charge of bagging the take-out meals. The bagged meals then were loaded into the awaiting vehicles.
A total of 1.5 million reusable cotton cloth face masks, manufactured by the Hanes clothing company, given to New York State by the federal government are quickly making their way into local communities – and into the hands of local residents. St. Lawrence County was given 38,000 masks. Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. said that the SLC Office of Emergency Services gave Gouverneur enough to allow distribution to community members in need at the spaghetti dinner. He also mentioned that cotton masks in ample supply had been delivered to Pine Grove and Cambray housing communities. Much gratitude lit up the eyes of those who received the reusable cotton masks.
Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. accepting donations from volunteers receiving cash donations from community members to benefit local food pantries amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The donations were received (alongside the spaghetti dinner distribution), curbside, in front of the Gouverneur Community Center, located at 4673 State Highway 58, Gouverneur. (Rachel Hunter photo)
Once curbside pick-up was done, many motorists showed signs of gratitude as they made their exit, turning left one more time and leaving straight off the Gouverneur Community Center grounds.
Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. on Tuesday reported that about $1,400 had been collected to benefit the local food pantries, with some donations being received by mail. Supervisor Spilman said that all monies received will be split among a number of food pantries yet to be determined. More information will be released once it is made available to the Gouverneur Tribune Press. As the Good Will Spaghetti Dinner was spearheaded through the volunteer effort of Paul Trombley, Jr., Supervisor Spilman said that he would be delivering the donations to each local food pantry.
Supervisor Spilman also added that a total of 280 spaghetti dinners had been served to community members, and that eight meals had been delivered to Gouverneur Hospital.
Words of gratitude were expressed on the Gouverneur Community Center Facebook page for all those who supported the event. “It is great to see a community come together for the greater good,” the post read. “All donations will feed many others in need. Special thanks to all that volunteered or donated. We couldn't do it without you!”