One-two punch of kindness
POTTSVILLE — Homeless persons seeking refuge from winter's fury were served lunch Monday at Servants to All, a daytime shelter, courtesy of Fighter's Heaven.
'Muhammad Ali's training camp sent food for about 20 persons,' said Jeanette Triano Sinn, the shelter's executive director. 'It came at the right time; it's President's Day and everything else is closed.'
The donation arrived as Servants to All was observing National Random Act of Kindness Day.
Frieden's Lutheran Church, Hegins, donated canned soup collected at its recent Souper Bowl affair. The parishioners at Holy Cross Catholic Church in New Philadelphia donated non-perishable foods.
And Susan Hahner brought in a bag filled with knitted scarves.
'This weather is awful,' said Hahner, a retired Pottsville hospice nurse. 'I'm sure they will be put to good use.'
Several weeks ago, she donated winter coats to the shelter at Centre and East Norwegian streets.
The spirit of kindness that underlies the donations, Sinn said, is in keeping with the shelter's mission of aiding poor and displaced persons and families.
'We're all about spreading kindness, that's our biggest interest,' said Sinn, who made an appeal for Random Day of Kindness on the agency's Facebook page.
Demand for food, she said, increases dramatically on Mondays. Over the weekend, people who are unhoused have often exhausted their supply of food.
Mick Stefanek, executive director of Fighter's Heaven, said he had donated food to Servants For All in the past.
'They do wonderful work,' he said, 'We like to support them as much as possible.'
Fighter's Heaven's support of community groups, Stefanek said, is in keeping with Muhammad Ali's devotion to helping people in need.
The late boxing legend visited orphanages, hospitals and soup kitchens around the world, and was the recipient of the United Cerebral Palsy Humanitarian Award in 2001.
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