Cape Breton volunteer group reaches milestone of 500K meals delivered to seniors

A volunteer-driven program in Cape Breton celebrates the delivery of their 500,000th meal.

If many hands make light work, that might help explain how the team at the Reserve Mines Seniors and Pensioners Club in Reserve Mines, N.S., has gotten enough meals out the door to reach a major milestone on Thursday.

“Today, we’re going to serve our 500,000th meal,” said Mel Bryden, president of the Reserve Mines Seniors and Pensioners Club.

Since 2017, hot meals have been dished up — then sealed, bagged and finally delivered to seniors in the local area at least a couple of times per month.

“It makes us feel good knowing the seniors are getting a nice, hot meal — and it might be the only meal that they get that week or that day or whatever,” Bryden said.

“Since [the COVID-19 pandemic], we’ve been doubling, tripling, quad the amount of people that are needing support these days.”

Of the 42 volunteers that make the program happen, Brenda Bryden — Mel’s wife — is one of two who have been there since the very beginning.

“I’m very proud of it, really. Helping the community and helping each other here - it’s like one big family,” Brenda said. “To help your neighbour, and this is what it’s all about — to help each other through tough times.”

Half a million meals is a major milestone, but whether the group will ever make it to one million meals is uncertain.

“No question about it, our days will definitely be numbered if we don’t get any further support,” Mel said.

He said what they need is more funding, and new people to get involved to help replace some of their aging volunteer base.

“It’s kind of a worry for us, big time, with the fact that we’ve been providing this service for so long,” he added.

Still, Thursday was about focusing on their big accomplishment and how many people the group has been able to help.

Bryden said the 500,000th meal was delivered — along with a celebratory fruit basket — late in the afternoon to Peck MacLean.

“More than anything, I just want to say thank you to all those people who supported us over the years and that will maybe continue to support us,” Mel said.

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