Manotick Kiwanis a Proud Supporter of the Non-Profit Miller’s Oven
By Ralph Tweedie, Manotick Kiwanis Club
The Kiwanis Club of Manotick often works with other like-minded non-profit organizations. Such is the case with the Miller’s Oven.
You may know it as a Tea Room and Café. It is much more! This unique café operates in a heritage building on Mill St. The building itself has always been a gathering place. From 1887 until 1929 it was the village General Store, housing the telegraph office and the village’s first telephone. Over the years since it has served as the Oddfellow’s Hall, a barbershop and a public library. The barbershop furniture is now a fixture in the front dining room of the café.
The Tea Room opened in 1983 as a senior drop-in center. This December they’ll celebrate their 41st anniversary. It is now a non-profit restaurant run by approximately 50 senior volunteers. The only paid staff are the 3 full-time cooks. Head chef Kerry Crosby is a certified Food Handler.
The menu consists of comfort food reflecting care for health and nutrition. Nothing is deep-fried and salt and spices are used sparingly. It includes a delicious home-made “Soup of the Day” and popular specials. They’re open from 9 AM until 3 PM. Want a treat? Try their huge scones with breakfast. Drop in anytime for a cup of tea and a piece of their “Mile High Lemon Pie”. Those are a couple of our favourites. You can also choose from their Take-Out Menu in family size quantities (i.e. packages of muffins or scones, whole dessert pies, frozen meals such as quiche or chicken pot pie).
The Miller’s Oven gives back to the community in a number of ways. Senior volunteers pool their tips into a fund. Over the years this fund has donated approximately $300,000 to local charities and senior organizations. In the most recent years the Oven has made a yearly $2,000 donation to the Manotick Outreach and to the House of Lazarus in South Mountain for the holiday season.
The café runs a program for student volunteers. This is a chance for young people in the area to earn volunteer credits required by the Ministry of Education. The program runs on weekends during the school year and all week during the summer months. Students gain experience and learn valuable skills.
They also maintain a collection of tea cups in various patterns donated by the public. If you see a favorite pattern that matches your set, you can purchase it for $10. You can also pick up an updated version of their cook book.
Miller’s Oven has supported the Kiwanis Club over the years. We host our organizing meetings for Dickinson Days, our Christmas Tree sales, our participation in Shiver Fest and, when needed, our board meetings upstairs. They precook the sausages for Dickinson Days and Shiver Fest pancake breakfasts. All without charge!
We in turn have donated to their café over the years. This year we donated $3,000 towards the restoration of their hardwood flooring. We also purchased an AED device for Miller’s Oven and are paying for a CPR C/AED training course for Oven staff in its proper usage. Total cost will be approximately $3,000.
The Kiwanis Club of Manotick is proud to support Miller’s Oven and their role in the community. You can support their work by stopping in for breakfast or lunch. Drop in any time for light refreshments.
