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Beginning Friday, January 8, 2021 members of the Seaforth Highlanders infantrly regiment will "take over" the Maundy Cafe on the first Friday of every month. 

The regiment will provide a team of volunteers who will prep, cook and serve lunch to guests. The partnership came about after Dean Christopher A. Pappas connected with the Captian Rev. Julie Lees - the Seaforth's chaplain. Being a former chaplain himself, Dean Chris wanted to deepen the existing relationship between the Cathedral and the reigment. Aside from planning joint opportunities for prayer, Dean Chris and the Rev. Julie talked about other concrete ways to work together in the community.

The Maundy Cafe was a natural fit: in the face of rising Covid case numbers, the reigment could provide a cohort of volunteers who were not at high-risk, and were otherwise actively limiting their social contacts. 

"We are super happy about this partnership. It means we can reach more people and we have a new group of volunteers," said the Rev. Marnie Peterson, the Cathedral's missioner and priest overseeing the Maundy Cafe. 

With the Seaforth Highlanders committed to serving at the cafe on the first Friday of every month, it means Marnie and Vienne Chan - the Cathedral's Food & Hospitality Coordinator - can start dreaming and planning for new initiatives to pair with this extended day of service. 

(Photo: Volunteers from the Seaforth Highlanders in the Park Room after serving a meal in December)