Lunch brings 'Cookie's kitchen' to life

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The relaxed and friendly atmosphere of Kay Louttit's kitchen draws a few people each weekday lunch hour when it comes alive with small talk and gossip.

Transients, civil servants or needy people often dine at the Nistawoyou Friendship Center "restaurant", which offers a $3 lunch or a free dinner if you have no cash.

Louttit, known as "Cookie" to the staff, has prepared meals and catered for the center for over four years. She has lived in Fort McMurray all her life.

"I know all the regulars," she said, smiling. "Everyone always talks with me. That's what I like about it. They're (clients) all friendly. I guess that's why I work here."

The soup kitchen, which is the only one of its kind in McMurray, is a money-losing proposition for the center, said manager Gerry Cuthbert, but it's a necessary service since there are many needy people in the community despite the current boom in the oil sands industry.

The center has sought additional funding from the city to keep the program alive, but the city refused help, believing the center had enough funds to run the program.

"They don't understand we can't forward profit or take dollars out of our core budget," Cuthbert explained.

Money from the center's provincial or federal funds can't be used to run the kitchen, nor can the profits from many of its business ventures because strict guidelines prevent it.

"It is a local problem and the city should have a stake in it," said Cuthbert. "We're trying to help people without dollars, people who are transients (for unemployed)."

Provincial and federal grants are used for specific reasons and are mostly consumed by salaries, training and travel.

"Spending is specific, you can't move any of that money around," said Cuthbert.

But the center will not give up and will continue applying for city funding, especially with a new fiscal year beginning.

Persistence and determination has brought the friendship center a long way since 1971, when it began and its history has been paved with many helpful programs along the way. Cuthbert hopes the soup kitchen will be one of them.