On December 24, guests of the Roanoke Rescue Mission’s Women and Children’s center will be guests at a smoothie party hosted by a very dedicated mission volunteer. Beginning at 2pm, Jana Rakes, along with her husband Patrick, and four children, will begin blending fruits, milk, and yogurt into smoothies for shelter guests.
“This will be our 4th year,” says Jana. “We bring a menu of smoothies from which the shelter guests get to choose what flavor they want and we make them until we run out.” This year’s menu will include Merry Strawberry (a mixture of strawberries, strawberry syrup, strawberry yogurt and milk), Hawaiian Breeze (pineapple, pineapple juice, bananas, vanilla yogurt and milk), Dreamsicle (orange juice, bananas, and vanilla yogurt), and many more. “Who doesn’t love a smoothie?” she says.
Jana and her family have volunteered at the Rescue Mission for years. Four years ago, as a Christmas gift to her sister, she decided to host her first smoothie party at the Rescue Mission in her sister’s honor. “Gifts don’t need to be wrapped up with pretty bows to be meaningful,” she says. “Providing a gift of service rather than a physical gift these last four years has created a special opportunity for my family that has grown into a tradition for us which we look forward to.”
“It’s an incredible sight seeing everyone enjoying their smoothies and having a great time,” said Laura Johnson, manager of the Women and Children’s Center. “We are so grateful for Jana and her family for putting more joy and smiles on our guests’ faces!”
