Charlottetown soup kitchen delighted with donation of fresh lobster

A Charlottetown soup kitchen got a specialdonation this week 50 pounds of fresh lobster.

Lorraine Goley, manager for the Upper Room Soup Kitchen, says calls like that, offering something special like fresh lobster, don't comevery often.

"Not very often at all," said Goley. "I've been here for almost three years and this is the first call I received."

The lobster was donated by Gregory and Louise Norton,who said they haven't yet had trouble selling their catch,but wanted to do something to lift people's spirits during COVID-19.

Goley said the shellfish arrived on Thursday, fully cooked, which was another pleasant surprise.

"It was a great help because it would have been a lot of work, had we had to cook them," said Goley.

Staff and volunteers worked together to shell the lobster, and prepare about75 lobster rolls for clients, who they hope will be pleasantly surprised.

"We've had jokes all the time in here saying, 'Oh, when is our lobster supper coming?'" said Goley. She said the lobster rolls will be served with a tossed salad in take-out containers, and have to be taken to-go, due to COVID-19 and restrictions around social gatherings and physical distancing.

"It is a very special treat. There's not many people who would go into a lobster restaurant, so I'm hoping that they will receive it and really enjoy it."

The soup kitchen isrun by the Upper Room Hospitality Ministry and serves about 70 people every day. Staff say they are seeing additional clients these days, likely due to COVID-19.

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