dvaughan@heraldsun.com; 419-6563
DURHAM — Trial attorneys set aside their briefcases Tuesday, donned aprons and rolled up their sleeves to bake cookies in the new commercial oven at Urban Ministries of Durham downtown.
The law firm of Twiggs, Beskind, Strickland & Rabenau donated $11,000 to replace a broken main oven used by the Urban Ministries Community Cafe to serve 600 hot meals a day to those in need. The oven was installed Monday.
The old two-level convection oven broke months ago — first the upper portion, then, around Thanksgiving, the lower portion. So the kitchen relied on one stove and a smaller, single oven to make more stews, casseroles and fried food.
Chef Winston Rojas said cooking for so many — about 18,000 meals per month — will be much easier with the new, two-level double-door Southbend oven. Being able to roast and bake rather than fry dishes lets him make healthier meals, he said.
Patrice Nelson, executive director of UMD, said there was enough money leftover after buying the oven to replace the cafe tables, which arrived Tuesday. Things snowballed, she said. Another law firm — James Scott Farrin — is donating new compartmental trays. And advertising agency McKinney is donating new chairs and mugs.
On Tuesday afternoon, Twiggs, Beskind, Strickland & Rabenau presented Nelson with a giant ceremonial check.
“It’s magic,” Nelson told the firm lawyers and staff. “I thank you very much.”
“Thank you for all you do,” Howard Twiggs said to Nelson. “You do God’s work, there’s no question about it.”
Attorney Karen Rabenau brought along her son Gil, 4, because he loves to bake. Plus, it’s important to start teaching at a young age about giving back, she said. Rabenau said giving back is a core philosophy of the firm, so they were thrilled to be there and test out the new oven. Rabenau and Gil cut out and decorated sugar cookies while attorney Don Beskind made thumbprint cookies with cherries on top.
Nicole Satterwhite, a paralegal, and Barbara Walker, a controller, mixed a batch of chocolate cookie dough while they said the firm’s donation was a wonderful idea. It was the first time at UMD for them both.
“There are a lot of hungry people,” Walker said.
“Especially in this economy,” Satterwhite added.
The cookies are for the UMD family holiday party and for the UMD open houses held this weekend.
The open houses for the community, residents and supporters are also a time to collect donations for the people served by the community organization. The donation wish list includes Country Time powdered lemonade, large cans of ground coffee, sugar, plastic cutlery, 45-gallon trash bags, twin sheets sets, blankets, towels, face cloths, Tracfones and Durham bus passes of $2 daily and $36 monthly. The list also includes financial gifts; gift cards for Wal-Mart, Costco and Target; and male and female adult backpacks filled with matching hats, gloves, scarves and assorted toiletry items.
For more information about the open houses and wish list, contact Faye Morin at (919) 682-0538, ext. 25, or fmorin@umdurham.org.
