PIQUA — The Bethany Center recently received a donated stove from Westminster Presbyterian Church, which replaces the center’s previous 500-pound cast iron stove that was purchased at auction in 2001. Various members of the community also donated services to move and install the newly acquired stove at the Bethany Center.

According to a press release from the Bethany Center, when it first opened its doors in February 2001, Director Wilma Earls was committed to serving the needs of Piqua residents and began serving lunches from the modest-sized kitchen located in the former South Street School.

It was a community effort with a number of churches and dedicated volunteers preparing wholesome lunches four times weekly from a 500-pound cast iron stove purchased by Earls for $25 from an auction at the former Seger Bar & Grill in Fort Loramie. It’s been estimated that 345,000 lunches — nearly 15,000 annually — had been prepared on the six-burner stove since that time.

Needless to say, said the release, the stove had seen better days, since not all the burners work and the two ovens became inoperable. Current Director Shawn Rickert, along with Jim Stammen, determined it was time to replace the nostalgic stove with a new one and applied for a grant from the Piqua Community Foundation (PCF) to help offset expenses for a newer model priced at $11,000.

“We decided to work collaboratively,” Rickert said in the release. Rickert was able to get a substantial discount price from ITW Food Group in Troy and a $3,500 grant from the PCF.

It proved to be enough money to purchase a new stove. To his delight, however, he received a phone call from Beth Kazar, a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, who learned of Bethany Center’s need for a stove. She explained that Westminster was graciously donating its stove, similar in size, to the Bethany Center. The stove had been instrumental in meal preparation at God’s Table, which has since been discontinued. Rickert explained that Westminster “wanted its (stove) to be used for a similar purpose” and offered it to the Bethany Center’s kitchen.

Once the offer was accepted, Rickert contacted the Piqua Community Foundation and returned the grant monies to be used elsewhere. Transporting the stove(s) was accomplished free of charge thanks to Piqua Crane & Rigging. George Staley of Staley Plumbing donated his services to disengage and reinstall the newly-acquired stove.

“This has been a true community effort,” said Rickert. “It’s just one more example of how Bethany Center and the community work together. It truly takes a village and it’s been gratifying to see us work collaboratively to make it happen. It says a lot about Piqua, Ohio.”

“One might say it’s been a win-win situation with perhaps some ‘divine intervention’ from the late Wilma Earls involved,” the release said.