Ted Cronmiller puts muffin batter into paper linings in muffin pans as Jim Harrington (left) speaks with him. Many of the volunteers come to the program as couples and Harrington shares the job of delivery with his wife June. (Richard McGuire photo)

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, six senior volunteers were hard at work mixing up ingredients to make hundreds of muffins for school children.

Most have been coming for many years to the home economics room at Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS) to mix healthy ingredients, pour it into pans and bake six different varieties of muffins.

The muffin program has been running for about 20 years, says Marge Trosky, who began volunteering with her husband Joe after the couple moved here from Winnipeg 14 years ago.

Jim and June Harrington started around the same time. It’s their job to deliver the muffins every Tuesday and Thursday morning, before school starts, to OSS and Osoyoos Elementary School (OSE). Jim does the high school and June, a former school trustee, does the elementary school.

The program was started by a retired schoolteacher as well as one of the high school teachers because they noticed that many children were arriving at school without having a chance to eat breakfast.

“They identified a need of children coming in very early on the buses,” said Trosky, noting that some travelled from a distance and some were involved in sports activities when they arrived early. “A lot of them were coming without breakfast, so it was just a small way of giving them something a couple of times a week.”

For many years the program only ran at the high school, but in recent years muffins have also been delivered to the elementary school.

The program is popular with the students. Jim Harrington says more muffins are given out at the elementary school than he delivers to the high school, but very often he’ll deliver 50 to OSS and they all get eaten.

“We never put any back,” he says.

The program, he said, fills an important role.

“It’s a known fact that a person who doesn’t have something in their stomach has a tough time concentrating on what they’re doing all day long,” he said. “So I think it’s a very important program and the teachers and principals will tell you that.”

Sometimes when June Harrington arrives at the elementary school, people say, “Mrs. Harrington is here. It’s muffin day.”

“A lot of times I’ll get stopped on the streets and somebody will say, ‘Oh hi Mr. Muffin Man,’” said Jim.

They use local ingredients as much as possible to make muffins with zucchini, banana, carrot, squash, blueberry and cranberry. And they use whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, bran, rolled oats, milk and eggs.

“It’s all healthy ingredients and it is approved by a nutritionist,” said Trosky.

The program gets strong support from businesses, churches, service clubs and private donors, he said, highlighting the long-time support it’s received from the Osoyoos Fire Department and the Osoyoos Elks Lodge.

And, some years ago, the Town of Osoyoos provided a grant that allowed the program to purchase two ovens.

But the one thing the program really needs, said Trosky, is some new volunteers.

On the day the Osoyoos Times visited, there were six volunteers mixing and baking the muffins. In addition to the Troskys and the Harringtons, Lynne Hesketh and Ted Cronmiller were also pitching in.

But Trosky said her husband Joe, whose job is to shop for the ingredients, doesn’t normally stay to bake. He did it that Wednesday because they were short of volunteers.

June had an appointment in Penticton, but she had to cancel it when she realized it was baking day and that she was needed.

“We’re all getting older and we can’t always be there,” said Trosky, explaining why they need some new blood. “We don’t want to feel that we have to be there every time. We want to feel that we’re needed, but not that it’s compulsory because sometimes we have to be away.”

The main work they need help with is baking, but no one should feel intimidated by it, she said. They just need to follow the recipe and help the other volunteers.

“Several of us on site have FOODSAFE, so everything is done according to FOODSAFE standards,” she said, adding that it’s not necessary that all volunteers have FOODSAFE certification provided someone who has it is there to ensure that everything is handled correctly.

The work involves mixing ingredients, scooping batter into muffin pans, putting the pans into the ovens, cooling and packing them into plastic containers for freezing and cleaning up afterwards.

“It’s not just for the ladies,” said Trosky. “Men are very welcome.”

But it’s not all hard work. Jim said he wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t also fun. He’s gotten to know the high school students over his 14 years as a volunteer.

“I’ve watched every graduation,” he said. “I know all the kids. I enjoy that, and June does the same at the elementary school.”

There’s also a social aspect. Trosky said when she and her husband moved from Winnipeg, a teacher persuaded them that they needed to get out into the community and find something to do.

“As a volunteer in the community, especially when you move in from elsewhere and you know nobody, you get out amongst the community and you meet people,” she said. “It’s a real network. You meet people, and this is just one more way to do it.”

Anyone wanting to get involved can contact Marge Trosky at 250-495-5079 or Jim Harrington at 250-495-2212.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times

June Harrington chats with Marge Trosky as they mix ingredients for a batch of muffins. (Richard McGuire photo)

Jim Harrington runs bananas through a food processor to make banana muffins. He uses both fresh and frozen bananas. (Richard McGuire photo)

Joe and Marge Trosky and June Harrington add flour as they mix up batter. (Richard McGuire photo)

June Harrington breaks an egg to add to the mix while behind her Marge Trosky stirs ingredients. (Richard McGuire photo)

Lynne Hesketh stirs batter. (Richard McGuire photo)

Marge Trosky checks a list as she adds some ingredients. Joe Trosky gets the chocolate chips ready. These are always a popular ingredient, he said. (Richard McGuire photo)