2020.5.23 Serving at New Hope Sanctuary

2020.05.23 Serving at New Hope Sanctuary
Volunteering at the homeless Shelter
IC Date	May 23, 2020
IC Time	Early Afternoon
Players	Caressa,Johnathan,Saraid,Evie
Location	New Hope Sanctuary - Prospect, CA
Spheres	All

<---======##========[ Upcoming City of Hope MUSH Events ]=========##======--->
NUM  ST        Genre     Title                       Date                 Sgnps
1223 Caressa   All       Serving the Homeless        Sat May 23 14:00 CST  4
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New Hope Sanctuary - Main Room

The multitudes of main doors open up into a fairly expansive area. Volunteers are always there to greet people and show them towards registration. The right of the main doors is a door leading to what was once the main office of the school with a sign above the doorless entryway reading 'Registration'. It's back here that people's personal belongings are also held to prevent theft. Right beside the registration offices is a pair of steel doors leading into the library, which is stocked with a variety of books that have all been donated by the community. In the back of the library is also a battery of a dozen or so computers.

Back in the main room is the Common Area which is the only carpeted place in the entire school. It is located across the room from the main doors and sporting a few dozen mismatched recliners for reading or watching variety of movies that are usually playing, or simply chatting it up with friends.

Directly to the left of the entrance is a hallway that heads back past the main doors and a helpful sign claims this hallway leads to the bunks and politely reminds visitors to register back at the office, if they have not already. If one were to pass by the hallway, they would find themselves in the cafeteria. Open hours are from 5pm-9am.

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Caressa is helping another doctor set up tables and privacy screens for quick check-ups. Big burly men are bringing heavy rolling racks full of clothing. Extra bedding not claimed from the previous month are brought back out. Caterers are hauling in food to the cafeteria. It really is bussling a bit as things get set up.

Johnathan would try to help where he cans, having set up a small sowing machine for quick fixes and fittings. Moving over to Caressa "I set up my little station to make sure all fits proper if we need to make adjustment or changes. I kept most of the things neutral and more focused on sturdyness and usability.. but with my own flair to it" grinning to her

Evie walks in, casually-dressed college girl that she is, looking around. "Hey. I heard you could use some extra hands for charity? I'm not especially skilled, but I can help with something! Serving the food?"

Caressa smiles and gives Johnathan a hug. "Thank you dear. If something needs more complicated work, I can drop it back by during the week when you're done with it." She looks around his station, "Did you bring extra fabric too?" She looks back to the voice and to the new face. "Oh!" She moves over and extends a hand to the young woman. "Doctor Caressa Perlman, and you are?" She asks though continues, "We can always use extra hands, The caterers are setting up over there if you want to help on the line."

"Evie Adams. Local college student looking to help out." She accepts the offered hand, shaking it gently. "I'd be happy to! It's for a good cause."

Caressa smiles, "Thank you so much for helping! Also, if you need volunteer hours for school, I'll sign off on that for you."

Johnathan nods to Evie "Johnathan Oneiroi, tailor and designer and yes love I brought extra fabric" offering a broad smile to them both "Extra set of hands is always good, help is needed all over really"

There is that tell tale sound of the floral cart arriving, almost late but mostly right on time, to find her place at the Sanctuary to set up her table to help teach about arranging flowers. Saraid smiles as she sees Johnathan and Caressa and moves to give them both a warm hug. She also offers a warm smile to Evie too, as she sees the new face there to offer support and volunteer. "Good evening, Miss." As they are offering their introductions. "Saraid is my name." She is happy to let the others talk more than her though.

Caressa smiles to Saraid and returns the hug, "How have you been! Haven't seen you lately. I miss our morning coffee time."

Johnathan smiles and waves to Saraid looking to her, going off to get the extra fabrics.

Evie sets down her backpack to the side as she finishes her introductions, then heads off to the kitchens to wash up, maybe find a hairnet for herself. Best to be prepared!

The caterer does hand Evie a hairnet, gloves and an apron after she washes up. The menu seems to be chicken cordon blu, seasoned steamed fresh veggies and couscous. Along with a few deserts to choose from. Definitely a meal the homeless wouldn't have every day.

Johnathan smiles to Evie and gives her a thumbs up. Starting to work with the people comming in looking at the clothing explaining to them that they are indeed for free and if needed they can be adjusted to fit their size.

Saraid smiles at Caressa, "I have been roaming the city and checking out some of the small shops, and visiting the campus library." She offers, "But I will make it a point to visit for morning coffee tomorrow, Sis." She offers softly. "But I would never forget coming to help you here."

Evie comes out of the kitchen carrying a few trays of the food on offer, about as much as she can safely carry, and gets to setting it out on the tables. Finally addressing an earlier point, she responds to Caressa, "I'd appreciate the help with volunteer hours, thank you! I didn't think of it when I came here, but that's a good idea."

Caressa chuckles and smile to Saraid, "I'll look for you at the hearth room, Monday morning." She wanders over to the doctors' station when she's flagged down to help set up an appointment for someone. She nods to Evie in passing, "I know some scholarships require volunteer hours...and maybe some class projects."

Saraid finishes setting up her table with the flowers, laying out the pots of soil, and seeds, as she listens to the conversation but her focus is more on those that take an interest in gardening, she can share with them. "Don't over pack the soil, you want to allow it to breath. And most of the flowers here do not need to much water." She offers as she passes out packages of seeds for them to start with, watching them carefully.

Johnathan smiles as Caressa speaks of her own experiences and knowledge from her own studies in the field.

Evie shudders at Caressa's mention of dark. "I'm aware. And I'm becoming more aware as I continue. Honestly, though, it's something I want to do. Why do people do bad things? Something's in there that a regular person doesn't know. And... well." She trails off, distracted by a small line forming in front of her.

Caressa shakes her head, "I don't think we'll ever be able to answer why some people are just evil." She hands bottled drinks to those that pass by Evie's station. "All we can really do is let them see the light and desire to change. Then we can guide them. Otherwise.." she shrugs.

Johnathan smiles broadly looking to both of them listening merely since he has no idea about such.

Caressa slips an arm around Johnathan's waist in a side-hug.

Evie quirks an eyebrow Caressa's way. "I'm quite literally studying those answers right now. Well, not -right- right now, but. You know what I mean. Um, hold that thought." She breaks off to fetch some more chicken cordon bleu from the kitchen to replace the empty tray she found herself with. When she returns, she continues, "Anyway. It'll be my job to help figure out those answers, maybe save some people from going down that path... but, some of them think they're the good guys. It's bizarre. But it's why we do what we do, try to see into those minds and understand them."

Caressa nodded and waited till Evie returned with a fresh tray. She mms, "It is all a matter of prespective, in some cases. What we judge as good or evil has been definited by society, not nature." She considers, "A house centipede eats spiders. So I imagine spiders would say they are evil. When it is really just the nature of the centipede. It is only doing what it knows." The tilts her head, "Thus the question is...nature or society? Do we try to get society to see their view and understand it, even if they can't accept it. Or to we squeeze someone into a box they were never made to fit into?"

Evie just shakes her head slowly. "The philosophy of it all is mind-boggling. I'm honestly more interested in the legal aspect, what we can do to mitigate damage to society as a whole. To reduce or stop murders or worse. Good or evil, whatever the perspective, there are still behaviours that most of society wants to prevent. As far as I'm concerned, that's all there is to it."

Caressa nods, "We can only try our best." She inhales deeply and looks around then goes to help the medical station start tearing down the privacy screens. "Fifteen minutes left for clothing and food!" She announces.

Johnathan would deal with the last people realizing they didnt have as much time, guiding them with the clothing.

Saraid seems singularly focused on the flower tables and teaching the homeless how to care for the vegetable plants, how to take care of them, and making sure they have a supply of small pots for each one to start to take root in. The growing interest makes the redhead smile brightly, and she keeps handing out flyers with informational instructions to those curious, even if they do not take the lessons from her directly.

Caressa looks over to Saraid, "What would you think about starting a community garden?"

Evie finishes putting together another full meal for another homeless person, this one a veteran, then glances over to Saraid when she has a moment. "Heya. If you have any plants left over when we're done, could I have one? I think it'd be neat to take care of it back at my place." And then the comment about the community garden. "Or, actually, I could help with that too! If you want."

Caressa nods to Evie, "I'm thinking definitely more food garden than decorative garden. Have some garden beds that are rented out for a season, some reserved for the folk here to grow their own food." She thinks a moment, "I'll have to hash the details a bit more but so far I like the idea."

Saraid smiles at that thought, "I really like the idea of a community garden. If we can find a plot of land near here, it would be perfect." She offers in support of the idea to Caressa. "It would really brighten the community and give a sense of accomplishment to those who participate."

Evie is herself smiling at the prospect. "Yeah, yeah! Eat what you grow sort of thing. Let me know if there's a way I can help! I'm pretty much still just a pair of hands for this sort of thing, but I'll do what I can."

Caressa looks between the two while Johnathan packs up his sewing machine and oversees getting the clothing racks back on the truck. "May take a month or more to find the right plot and get all the paperwork approved. But it should be manageable." She reaches into her purse for a slip of paper and hands it over to Evie. "Can I get your address and phone number please?"

Evie helps break down things - taking empty and partially-empty food trays back to the kitchen, putting away tables. When all's said and done, hairnet and apron and gloves put away, she circles back around to Caressa. "Okay... phone number... email... address." She writes down all the requested info and then some - though the email is her campus email - and returns the slip of paper. "Good luck with finding a plot!"

Caressa takes the slip with a smile, "Thanks! I'll get word to you when I get it settled."