Fall 2003 No One Living with AIDS Should Live with Hunger www.alovingspoonful.org Hot meals feed the body and soul by Olivia Heatley and Shawn Hall It is hard to believe A Loving Spoonful has been serving meals to people living with HIV and AIDS for nearly 15 years. T ALL BEGAN WITH EASTER ARMAS-MIKULIK IN 1989. DISTRAUGHT OVER SEEING PEOPLE SHE KNEW SUFFERING, MIKULIK BEGAN A MONTHLY DINNER AT IMCCLAREN HOUSE CALLED “EASTER’S SUNDAYS”. "The dinners were modeled after open house, fam- ily-style Thanksgiving dinners I experienced while growing up in the States,” Armas-Mikulik said in a Chef Carlos Bertin, recent interview. "According to the social workers right,and helpers from St. Paul's Hospital, it’s when coming out of Marsha Ramsden the hospital, that food is most important" and Carol Pao Through her ties in the community, Easter recruit- served up dinner for ed volunteers to cook and serve at the monthly 40 at Vancouver events. Native Health last month,part of A In just two years, the dinners were a huge success, Loving Spoonful's so Armas-Mikulik and several other volunteers Congregate Meal decided to make presentations to AIDS Vancouver, Program. BCPWA, and St. Paul’s Hospital in an effort to expand the project. The initial version of the Daily A Loving Spoonful now strives to serves more than Meals Program came out of that effort. 100,000 meals every year through a range of pro- grams. In 1991 the volunteers started delivering food directly to clients’ homes via the AIDS Vancouver The original monthly dinners are still counted in Buddy Program. This developed into the that total, continuing to provide nutrition along Vancouver Meals Society which then adopted the with stability and human connection. M.A.C name A Loving Spoonful in 1994. Cosmetic volunteers prepare a monthly meal at the Dr. Peter Centre in the West End, while other "The impact of the Meals Program has been three- volunteers cook dinner for 40 at Vancouver Native fold,” Armas-Mikulik says. “First, it’s easy. There is Health in the Downtown Eastside. a lack of worry for the clients over buying groceries since the frozen meals can easily be put in the Evelyn Stodgell has been coming to the Vancouver microwave. Second, the clients know they can Native Health dinners for three years, shortly after count on us. Third, it provides social interaction she bottomed out. Addicted to heroin, Stodgell and connection with others" ended up in hospital three years ago, where she continued on p.3 Singer steps way from spotlight and into fundraiser role by Keri Korteling Kendra Sprinkling is the heart and soul of the Shooting Stars Foundation, a special events company that produces shows raising money for local direct service AIDS agencies including A Loving Spoonful. PRINKLING ACTUALLY CREATED SHOOTING STARS November; and Gambado, a celebrity dinner and TO SUPPORT WHAT IS NOW ITS FLAGSHIP EVENT, auction, takes place in September. Sprinkling is SSTARRY NIGHT. always looking for ways to expand the founda- tion’s events, she says, adding she’d love to be able A session singer, she’d been performing at Starry to give away $100,000 a year. Night every year since it was created by David Harrison 18 years ago to When asked about her inspirations for events, raise money for AIDS ser- Sprinkling points to her contact with the artists in vices organizations. When her shows. “I just love being around talented peo- Harrison became too ill to ple. People in the arts inspire me with their continue organizing the courage. I mean, how courageous is it to be a six- event, he asked Sprinkling foot–two man who performs in a dress, in the first to take over its produc- place? They transport me - these drag artists. I tion. She agreed, and think I’m looking at Bette Midler. I really do.” She founded the Shooting also says there’s a compelling feeling of energy in Stars Foundation to help the rooms backstage before and after the perfor- her. It quickly became mance. “That feeling of family that happens, com- apparent that foundations munity that happens, and excitement - goose don’t limit involvement to bumps. That’s just a fantastic feeling. I love that!” a single event, and that Sprinkling had created a full-time job for herself as the foundation’s execu- Sprinkling heaps high praise on the technicians tive director. That was eight years ago. “It was in responsible for the behind-the-scenes magic at the that tenth year of Starry Night that my singing shows, explaining that her lighting designer has career was put on hold for what was then Shooting worked with the foundation without pay for 15 Stars,” she says. “I’m still in the arts. There’s no age years. He sometimes interrupts his busy schedule limit on what I am doing. As a singer, I am pretty to fly to Vancouver for a Shooting Stars event. She old in the tooth. I just have a commitment to work- says that her work is occasionally the source of ing as long as I can to raise money for AIDS.” stress and worry. However, Sprinkling asserts that she’s never felt overwhelmed for more than a cou- Sprinkling doesn’t sing very often in the Shooting ple hours at a time. “You know how they say the Stars productions any more. “I stand on stage and happiest people are people that have a mission. I I worry. I can’t stay focussed.” She did round out feel blessed. I feel privileged and blessed to be the bill at the foundation’s inaugural Motown doing what I am doing.” Meltdown earlier this year, though. For several years, she produced a series of small performances Shooting Stars Foundation will present the and the main Starry Night gala. With the help of a Gambado Celebrity Dinner and Auction strong and supportive board chaired by Roger September 18 at Granville Island, in partnership Millen she has begun to build a careful selection of with the West Ender. Guests attend a martini party stellar productions. at Performance Works with performances from vocalist Sibel Thrasher. The reception is followed The foundation currently presents four annual by dinner at the Granville Island Hotel, and the events. Motown Meltdown, which runs during the evening concludes with an auction. Auction items Dragon Boat Festival, is the newest addition. Fit for will include fabulous art, dinner-theatre-hotel a Queen is in May; Starry Night is held in packages, and getaways to the Gulf Islands. 2 | the HeartBeat Feeding the body and soul Delivering good meals part continued from cover of David Charlton’s life found out she had HIV. “I was really upset.” A AVID CHARLTON HAS SPENT PRETTY MUCH great nurse started helping her take her pills and EVERY TUESDAY FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS DRI- referred her to A Loving Spoonful. Stodgell started DVING AROUND BURNABY, EAST VANCOUVER, accepting A Loving Spoonful’s frozen weekly DOWNTOWN, AND THE WEST END DELIVERING MEALS meals, and came out for the hot meals as well. She TO ALOVING SPOONFUL CLIENTS. HIS ROUTE ALSO says she appreciates the tablecloths and fancy fare INCLUDED A LONG STINT AT HELMCKEN HOUSE. that A Loving Spoonful’s volunteers put on. While Native Health serves hot lunches every day, A Charlton was born in Osoyoos and has worked at Loving Spoonful’s dinners feature extras like salad, Telus for 25 years in both Vancouver and the a drink, and dessert. “It’s more nourishing. It’s just Okanagan. He became acquainted with Easter’s better than having a sandwich,” she says. “And it’s Sundays in the early 80s when he met A Loving nice to have a salad.” Having good people around Spoonful founder Easter Armas-Mikulik while per- and a nice, hot meal once in a while helped give forming in a local drag group, “The Flannelettes” Stodgell the willpower she needed to pull herself and doing AIDS fundraisers. During the time up. Easter was Emperor of the Dogwood Monarchy Society. Now, she’s cooking for herself, has been off heroin for two years and in a methadone program, and Charlton’s volunteering officially began in 1992 her white blood cell count is normal. She still after a visit to the Vancouver Meals Society’s infor- comes out to the hot meals for the special time. mation booth and speaking with a long time friend Carlos Bertin is a student chef and has been coor- about getting involved. dinating the dinners for the last six months. He says he enjoys the challenge of meeting the nutri- Ever since then, Tuesdays at A Loving Spoonful tional needs of people with AIDS – they need more have been an important part of David’s routine. protein than most – and of providing meals for a Though saddened we still face HIV/AIDS, group with a small budget. “Cooking in a fancy Charlton said he is happy to be making a difference kitchen with $1,000, it’s easy,” he says. and appreciates what A Loving Spoonful has brought to his life. Every month Bertin and his helpers pick up $200 from A Loving Spoonful and go shopping. They feed 40 people on that – three courses plus drinks. Then they go down to Native Health and cook in the tiny kitchen for a few hours before serving up HoltRenfrew their creations. Last month they dished up roast chicken with herbs, roast veggies, and scalloped A couple of cool potatoes. The salad was spinach with carrots and customers eye the mushrooms.