Once a month, Ernie Serrano Jr. and various members of the Serrano Family go to St. Vincent de Paul’s Mesa Dining Room to serve freshly made tortillas, meat, beans, rice and house-made salsa to those who need a hot meal.
They’ve served elbow-to-elbow with SVDP’s volunteer crew, including 20+-year veteran Patty Vincent, so it is no surprise they have all developed a close bond after two decades. “It’s a really great crew on Wednesday, we’ve been serving together for years. We’re like family,” says Ernie, who remembers Patty very fondly.
Patty recently passed away after years of dedication to SVDP. On this Volunteer Appreciation Day we wanted to honor her memory and her years of dedication and friendship. We will miss her. “Volunteers Make It Happen,” reads the back of Patty’s t-shirt. No truer words have been spoken.