A seat at the Oak Table
Place to grab a bite, meet a friend
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/04/2023 (976 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Oak Table in Osborne Village has been making people feel welcome, accepted and loved for more than 40 years.
Joan Hibbert, Augustine United Church’s office resource person from 1979 to 1994, remembers when the ministers decided, in 1981, to open the doors on weekdays. Her life, and the lives of many others, were forever changed.
“We opened the door and in they came,” recalled Hibbert. “The coffee was hot and there were cookies on a good day. We became ‘a ministry of interruptions,’ as one minister would say, with a smile. People of all ages and circumstances became our guests around that old Oak Table. They had stories as well as tears to share. Musicians would sit and play for our visitors.”
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Joan Hibbert, who worked and volunteered with Oak Table for decades, says the venue changed the lives of many for the better.
Over time, Hibbert, an artist with a passion for community, was asked to offer art instruction.
“Every Wednesday afternoon, men, women and children would have lunch, then come to our section of the guild hall. We were delighted with the people who chose to paint, draw and try encaustic art with us. They didn’t need to be taught. They were delighted to have materials they could create with, and create they did.
She said one woman stands out when she thinks back to that time. She would eat lunch, but kept to herself.
“One Wednesday I asked her if she would like to join us. She hesitated but when I handed her paper and pencil she drew a picture of herself being beaten and she began to talk. She joined us every Wednesday after that and shared her sad stories. We want to believe being able to draw her story gave her a voice. The people I met — many underprivileged and lonely — never ceased to amaze me. Their stories of survival and their creativity were inspirational,” added the 93-year-old Hibbert, who misses her time at the Oak Table.
Art Day gave guests a place to connect with others; “therapy for the mind” one of them called it.
“Art has always been important to me but to see the looks of pride on the faces of those looking at their work and saying ‘did I really do that?’ warms my heart. My volunteer time at the Oak Table enriched my life.”
Though the art program has remained strong, a lot has changed at the Oak Table.
“Programming has evolved over the years, according to the needs and interests of our guests,” said executive director Glynis Quinn.
“We have a foot-care program that is so important to the health of our guests. For many, their feet are their only means of transportation, and if they have a problem with them, it is very easy to become isolated, or soon experience other health issues. We also have a very important partnership with Fort Garry Access Centre. This gives us an opportunity to have nurses and allied health professionals on site to support the needs of our guests.”
Cooking classes, yoga, game and movie nights, bingo, meditation, beading and sharing circles round out programming. There’s musical entertainment and karaoke, a favourite prior to the pandemic, which is expected to restart soon. Staff and volunteers work hard to help guests access and enjoy the parks, festivals, sports cultural events, and trips outside the city.
“Time is an enemy for people who live in poverty. You and I can fill our time by going out to lunch or dinner, going to the theatre, watching specialty channels on TV, going for a drive, entertaining friends and family, going on vacation, heading to the beach for the day or weekend. Our guests don’t have the resources to do these things.”
Quinn said grabbing a bite to eat is the reason many people first go to Oak Table. It’s also home to 1JustCity’s Just A Warm Sleep warming shelter, which is a safe place to sleep for the homeless during winter. At the front door, there’s a washroom for people who need a safe place to go.
“Augustine Centre is the entity responsible for the operation of the building and the redevelopment,” said Quinn. “We are partners with SPLASH Care Inc., and Augustine United Church, and we all have representation on the Augustine Centre board. Making these partnerships and working together makes everything else go much more smoothly.”
A living room for some, a place of sustenance for others, Oak Table offers solace, safety and acceptance.
“We work with people every day who don’t have much to smile about,” said Quinn.
“Food insecurity, poverty, alcohol, drug, or gambling dependencies, mental illness, isolation, homelessness, feeling unsafe, feeling unloved and unseen are all things our guests live with every day.
“When we see a guest break out into a smile because of something we’ve been able to do that makes them feel genuinely happy, or forget even for a moment their problems, I feel proud of our team of staff and volunteers.”
Visit: www.oaktable.ca
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca