Cooking with heart: Fort Erie students help honour Community Living volunteers

Hamilton Spectator

06-05-2025

Community Living Fort Erie celebrated its volunteers recently with a special dinner cooked up by the students at Pomegranate Restaurant located inside Greater Fort Erie Secondary School (GFESS).
Held April 30 as part of Community Living Month, the volunteer appreciation night honoured volunteers for their time, commitment and impact on local programs that support individuals with developmental disabilities.
The three-course dinner was prepared and served by students under the guidance of culinary teacher, Afshin Keyvani.
Community Living board of directors chair Betty Talbot, kicked off the event by thanking the many volunteers who fill roles ranging from e-gaming and administrative work, to leisure buddy programs and fundraising.
'What you do matters more than you know,' she said. 'You may not always see the full ripple effect of your efforts, but let me assure you, you make a big difference.'
Margaret Fidler, manager of community development, also took time to honour the short-term and long-term volunteers at the event.
'This kind of teamwork is rare, and it's something I'll always treasure,' Fidler said. 'Your efforts have brought joy to countless families and made a lasting impact on this community, and on me personally.'
The evening was planned to celebrate the work of Community Living's volunteers, but also marked the end of an era as the organization bid farewell to Fidler, who is retiring.
To close the evening, office administrator Tiyanna Schooley, gave a heartfelt speech to honour Fidler's impact.
'I've been here five months, and what I learned is that this woman seriously, loves, cares and appreciates you guys all so much,' she said. 'She genuinely cares, and I've never seen someone who embodies their career and cares so much about the people she serves.'
The dinner, sponsored by Bill Marr of Garrison Automotive Service, was one of many events planned for Community Living Month.
On Tuesday, the organization raised its Community Living flag at Fort Erie Town Hall, with Mayor Wayne Redekop in attendance. 'They had a lot of people turn out, it was great,' said Talbot.
As plates were cleared and dessert was served, applause filled the room not only for the volunteers, but also for the students that made the dinner possible.
Student Harper James said the experience of being part of the culinary program has opened up opportunities she never imagined.
'There's (a lot) of different experiences that I would have never even thought of or known of until I took culinary arts and met a teacher like (Keyvani),' said James, who has participated in the program for three years.
James is also involved in Skills Ontario competitions and has been a part of relaunching the school's in-house restaurant, the Pomegranate, which had been dormant since the COVID-19 pandemic.
'We started (the Pomegranate) again last year after getting back into everything after COVID,' she said. 'Last year was the first year bringing it back to GFESS.'
Keyvani, who teaches culinary arts at the school, said the culinary students are often involved in events that serve the broader community, including local fundraisers, school functions, and special dinners like the Community Living dinner.
For students like James and her peers, this event was more than just an after school project, it was a chance to contribute to the community and learn by doing.
'It's kind of cool knowing that there are so many different things I get to experience just because I have a teacher that is so involved,' she said.