Topic Suwon Yeonmujeong Cafeteria's 12 Years of Continued 'Side Dish Volunteering'
[News S=Reporter Kim Chung-young] "The volunteers at Suwon Yeonmujeong Cafeteria are angels. They continuously and sincerely prepare and deliver side dishes for elderly people like us. I cannot express enough gratitude."
These are the words of an elderly person living alone in Haenggung-dong who receives side dishes from Yeonmujeong Cafeteria.
In February 2012, six volunteers who shared archery as a hobby at Suwon Yeonmujeong (archery range) secured a small commercial space of about 5 pyeong and began side dish sharing volunteer work, giving birth to Suwon Yeonmujeong Cafeteria (Representative Lee Eung-ja).
In the early stages, the cafeteria delivered lunch boxes to vulnerable groups and elderly residents in the area who had difficulty preparing food due to mobility issues. They prepared a week's worth of side dishes and directly delivered them to about 10 people once a week (every Tuesday).
The composition of side dishes has remained unchanged from the beginning to the present, consisting of approximately six types including soup, meat, and kimchi as basics, with seasonal foods prepared accordingly. On special occasions such as Lunar New Year, Chuseok, Daeboreum, Parents' Day, the hottest days of summer, and kimchi-making season, special meals are prepared to help fill the emotional void of elderly people living alone.
At the center of this effort are Chairman Lee Yu-young (71) and his family. As a result of continuing volunteer work with their original commitment for 12 years, the number of beneficiaries has now increased tenfold, and the cafeteria provides side dish sharing to 100 vulnerable people once a week.
Chairman Lee's family donates over 1 million won monthly to the cafeteria on a fixed basis, and the total donations have exceeded 100 million won to date. For this contribution, they received an Honor Society plaque of appreciation last year. The total cumulative donations from fellow cafeteria members who share the same vision have also exceeded 400 million won.
Representative Lee Eung-ja stated, "We have improved the quality of side dishes prepared at the cafeteria, and have also acquired pastry and baking skills to prepare special breads for the beneficiaries," noting that volunteer activities continued without interruption even during the height of COVID-19. She added that surveys are conducted among beneficiaries to prepare healthier foods that are more preferred.
Currently, groups participating in weekly cafeteria cooking volunteer work include: △First week, Maesan Elementary School Alumni Association with volunteer chair Yang Hyung-seok and about 20 others △Second week, Special Merit Veterans Association Gyeonggi Branch with branch director Lee Han-yong and about 15 others △Third week, Suwon Gyeongae-dong Residents Center Administrators' Council with chair Lee Ji-hyun and about 15 others △Fourth week, International Rotary 3750 District Suwon Pigeon Rotary Club with chair Kim Jin-kyung and about 10 others △Fifth week, Suwon Girls' High School Alumni Association Green Grape Society with chair Song Kyung-ran and about 20 others, and the original six who started the cafeteria participate every week. In total, approximately 90 volunteers participate in Yeonmujeong Cafeteria.
Visiting 100 elderly people's homes each week at set times to deliver the meals requires significant manpower. In addition to cafeteria members, staff from the Gyeonggi Regional Statistics Office Suwon Branch have been participating in weekly delivery volunteering for several years, and residents centers in Haenggung-dong and Gyeongae-dong are also actively involved.
Food ingredient costs comprise a significant portion of the cafeteria's operating budget, and financial support such as gift certificates from Suwon Statistics Office staff has been of great help.
The first Tuesday of May this year falls the day before Parents' Day, so special care was put into preparing side dishes. For this season only, they prepare ssuk beomuri (mugwort rolls), pork spare rib stew, japchae, nabak kimchi, and grilled meat skewers, allowing elderly residents to recall old memories and tastes.
Last month, Paldalgu District (District Office Director Kim Ki-bae) replaced outdated water heaters and stoves, enabling the cafeteria to prepare side dishes in a better environment.
Suwon Yeonmujeong Cafeteria Representative Lee Eung-ja expressed gratitude, saying, "There has been much support from various sectors including the Gyeonggi Province Volunteer Center, but most importantly, the volunteers directly participating in side dish preparation are the greatest source of strength."
She added, "We will continue to make efforts to help elderly people living alone spend their time healthily," and said, "I am particularly grateful to Chairman Lee Yu-young, who has always volunteered together from the beginning in 2012 to now, as well as Andamiro Volunteer Society Representative Shin Jae-kyung, Kong Chang-gyeom, Kwon Kyung-geun, Moon Sik, and Lee Gye-suk."
