McKillip’s passion for cooking leads her to volunteer
by Lindsay Hoeppner · July 20, 2010

Marilyn McKillip has a passion for cooking.

For over 20 years, the West Liberty resident has worked as a cook at the Simpson Memorial Home.

Although she retired from full-time work a couple of years ago, she couldn’t stay away.

Now, McKillip only works part-time, making desserts and salads, but through her experience, she has become somewhat infatuated with the art form.

“There’s just something about cooking,” she said.

It was through the West Liberty United Methodist Church, however, that McKillip took her adoration of cooking to an entire new level.

In 2006, McKillip was on a missions committee, and had the option of signing up to volunteer in a community aspect. She chose to cook a meal for the Shelter House Facility, an Iowa City-based general use homeless shelter that provides housing and supportive services to the homeless of southeast Iowa.

“I went up and served my first meal during the fall of 2006,” she said. “I had no idea what I was getting myself into.”

What begun as a one-time thing eventually evolved into a once a month job for McKillip.

“I don’t even know what enticed me to keep doing it,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to go up there and serve them a meal.”

McKillip prepares all of the food at her house. She often buys meat from the Simpson Memorial Home, although her son-in-law, Ron Simpson, donates hamburger to the cause quite frequently.

“You have to be real careful what you take to serve them, because they do not have a table to sit at,” she said. “They have to hold their plates in their lap.”

As a result, McKillip often cooks chicken and noddles or spaghetti. Whatever the meal choice, though, she makes sure it is balanced and nutritional. In addition to a main course that contains meat, McKillip also furnishes a vegetable or fruit and a dessert.

“My experience at the nursing home definitely helps me to be able to cook for a large amount of people,” she said.

Because of her dedication to the Shelter House Facility, the Rotary Club of West Liberty awarded McKillip with a Special Service Above Self Award.

“I had no idea they were giving me an award,” she said. “I went to pieces and started crying.”

McKillip’s dedication to helping the homeless may not be allowed much longer, however, as the Shelter House Facility is building a new building that will house up to 100 homeless individuals at a time.

Currently, McKillip feeds 30 to 40 individuals in the summer and up to 50 in the winter. Because of the increased amount of residents, however, when the new facility opens in October, she will no longer be able to cook the food at her house.

“If they’ll let me, I’ll go up there and cook it on Wednesday afternoon and I’ll call my volunteers in to come help me serve,” she said. “Right now, that is my thought on the situation.”

McKillip has continued to serve those in need because she understands their situation.

“I’ve kept going because there have been times when I needed help, but I always had family close by,” she said. “These people have no one to help them whatsoever.”

McKillip welcomes area volunteers to accompany her to the Shelter House Facility. Those interested in helping serve a meal should contact her at 627-4153.

“It’s an experience that you need to see,” she said.