Campus of Change

Ending Homelessness in the Fox Valley

The Ingredients of Success

Posted on Nov 25, 2015 by

Cooking class of COTS reveals inner strength of residents

 “I’d been wanting to do volunteering, but I didn’t know what to do,” explains Mary Kay Maigatter, COTS volunteer. She knew that she wanted to do something hands-on, but didn’t know where to start. At a women’s retreat, she met one of the COTS Meal Ministers, who talked to her about the COTS program. That sparked her idea to start a monthly cooking class at COTS.

“It just feels very natural,” she explains. Her first class she worked with the women to make chicken noodle soup. Each class, she varies her approach based on the women who attend and their level of cooking skill. They’ve made recipes ranging from eggs and hashbrowns to homemade hot pockets. This month, they are going to make pumpkin pie.

For Mary Kay, the benefit of the class goes beyond simply teaching the women cooking skills. “Maybe for an hour we can take them out of the craziness that they’re going through,” she says with a grin. “They’re pleasant and ready. There’s this inner strength about them that I admire. I think they’re teaching me.”
Are you interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at COTS? Please contact lmacdonald@appletoncots.org or (920)268-0603 ext. 704.