The kitchen is often said to be the heart of the home, where memories are made, important skills are crafted, and gatherings take place.
For one Airdrie organization, a newly updated kitchen will become the heart of their program space, providing them the tools to help fuel children, teach them life skills, and develop life-long memories.
On July 12, the BGC Airdrie youth club officially cut the ribbon on their newly renovated kitchen, donated through GoEasy. This ribbon-cutting marks the 100th and final kitchen remodel of the Easy Bites program, which has been going on since 2013. The Easy Bites program was a commitment GoEasy had made to help renovate 100 Boys and Girls Club kitchens throughout the country.
Director of Children’s Programs and Services for BGC Airdrie Cassandra Clem said the new kitchen has become a place where people gather rather than an eyesore. She added the kitchen will bring a new life to the club.
“It’s become more of a gathering place than a place to avoid,” Clem said. “It's life-changing for us.”
Clem said their building has been on Allen Street since 1979 and has not received many renovations since that time. She added that when GoEasy first approached them, they were only going to receive appliances. But after looking at the kitchen, they decided to move ahead with renovations.
According to Clem, the overall process started roughly five years ago, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other global circumstances, everything was delayed.
But once they started the renovations, it took them only a week from start to finish.
“It kept getting delayed and delayed, and our kitchen just kind of kept falling apart,” she said. “They got the kitchen done within a week. It was so fast, it hardly affected programs.
With the new kitchen, Clem said the club will be able to provide additional cooking programs (which are the most popular among the kids) in the space. They plan on adding specialized cooking nights and hosting special events like Christmas cookie decorating.
The kitchen also acts as a memorial for Carolyn Withrow, a store manager of Easyhome who passed away in September 2022.
Clems said they are honoured to have the kitchen dedicated in Withrow's memory.
“A lot of pride that they chose us to celebrate her life,” Clems said. “We can have that in our space and help do something in her honour.”
President and CEO of GoEasy Jason Mullins said they have been partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Canada for almost 20 years. They felt it was a great organization to support due to overlap of the communities both organizations serve.
Mullins said the remodeled kitchens in the clubs are important to help children grow and excel in life. He added they are excited to help and are proud to serve their communities.
“The kitchens really provide the venue to be able to make sure they get healthy snacks, healthy meals, and that really sets them up for a better chance of life,” Mullins said. “We're super excited. I know our staff are very, very proud of this.”
