Curtis Moeckel recently received the 2021 Community Impact Award from Fairmont Women of Today for his non-profit The Shepherd’s In Soup Kitchen.

FAIRMONT — Curtis Moeckel started The Shepherd’s In Soup Kitchen in Fairmont because he saw so many needy people and felt compelled to do something about it. Through prayer and guidance, the soup kitchen was born and Moeckel was recently awarded the Community Impact Award by the Fairmont Women of Today.

Moeckel said it felt good to win the award, but that he and his volunteers don’t do their mission to be recognized for anything by or by anybody. He also said as good as it felt for him to be recognized, he wanted to make sure that all of his volunteers and board members were to be recognized because it’s really them doing the work.

“God gave me the idea. You always need somebody to sort of open the door as someone to explain the vision, if you will. Then there’s all the people that do the work,” Moeckel said. “So, to some extent, I felt a little guilty, because I’m not really doing that work. And then it felt a little like, that’s more recognition than I deserve. That it’s really the volunteers that are doing the work that really need to receive the recognition.”

The award was created by the Fairmont Women of Today to recognize a person in the community who has demonstrated outstanding positive contributions resulting in the improvement and enrichment in the lives of others, doing this with integrity, service, and joy in their work and philanthropy. This award designates a check for $100 to be donated by the recipient to another charity of their choice and a second check of $100 for the recipient’s personal use. The charity Moeckel chose to donate to is the Kinship Program geared toward helping the youth.

Moeckel said that a lot of people he serves are coming out of jail that are often in the age group of their 20s, 30s, and 40s. He asked these people how they got to jail or dependency centers and what was the point that led them to that point. Some of those people were kids from the ages of 9-12 that never had a good mentor that could guide them, teach them, show them the way that could have prevented the hardship in their lives.

Moeckel said that he has visited the program and heard that they had roughly 40 kids here in town that are being mentored, but have almost as many on a waiting list.

“The mentoring program that they have is valuable, incredibly valuable and the need is greater today than it’s ever been,” Moeckel said. “I just felt like I wanted to donate to their program, they’ve got an excellent program that if we can get them off the streets, so to speak, and keep them out of jail. I won’t have as much work to do later on.”

The soup kitchen began as a small operation offering homemade soups on a once-a-month schedule. Later, the American Legion offered the use of their building, commercial kitchen, and a back room for making and serving soup. Moeckel began serving once a week and then once a day sometimes feeding up to 25 people. COVID-19 began and it forced Moeckel to close serving in an inside place.

Local churches in the Christian Church and Grace Lutheran Church offered the use of their kitchens for preparing the soup. Moeckel and his volunteers worked on making soups on Mondays and Wednesdays and packaging and freezing the soup. Moeckel kept a list of people and families that needed the help and would deliver soup to their homes.

Moeckel also has future ideas for The Shepherd’s In Soup Kitchen and for helping others. The ideas for helping others consist of purchasing a new building, setting up 10-12 computer spots that can be used for people to fill out applications, and learn how to make their own businesses. Moeckel has seen people from all walks of life including people released from prison or dependency centers. The soup was the starting of the connection between Moeckel and the people. From there Moeckel was able to get involved in their lives and talk to them about Jesus Christ. Moeckel said that it was his faith that drove him to want to take this action.

“Our purpose is to try and catch them, now when they come out, start to change their mind, give them a hope and reason to make a change and for them to have a reason to fight for a better life,” Moeckel said.

Moeckel said that the overall message he wanted to send to readers and the community is to plant good seeds, be aware of the needs around you, and if you identify that need to encourage those in need to contact the Shepherd’s In at 507-848-4860. Moeckel also added to be bold and take action.