Bill Christie and Roger Yount came through a rear door at the Hobart Community Kitchen like men on a mission.

They were.

As they have done each month for many years, they set about mixing and forming meatballs for the evening meal at the St. Patrick Soup Kitchen.

“They have been real faithful. They are like clockwork,” said Dick Steineman, soup kitchen director.

Christie and Yount are members of the Troy Kiwanis Club. When the kitchen opened in the St. Patrick Church just down the street 20 years ago July 26, they were among members who volunteered to participate in the service project.

Steineman told Yount and Christie they are “famous” adding, “The Kiwanis have been with us from the start.” 

Initially, Christie said, they would help prepare all kinds of meals. Around17-18 years ago, they began making the meatballs and mashed potatoes.

They were a hit, the kitchen’s Steineman and Deb Grant, volunteer coordinator, said.

“Some people come to soup kitchen and want to know when the meatballs and mashed potatoes are being served. They are just really great,” Steineman said.

Thirty pounds of donated hamburger was waiting for Christy and Yount. Christie came armed with eggs along with celery and onion he’d chopped at home.

The men located mixing bowls and baking pans before setting about their task, working side by side.

The hamburger was joined by other ingredients, mixed and the individual meatballs formed and placed in pans.

They have no idea how many meatballs they’ve made over the years but said around 200 are prepared the fourth Wednesday of each month.

“If you are going to have good meatballs everybody can enjoy, you have to have six across the pan, not five or seven,” Yount said with a laugh.

Are they glad they volunteer for the meatball duty?

“Absolutely,” Yount said.

“It’s a good thing,” Christie added.

This summer, word got out that the two – Christie who turned 89 this week and Yount who’ll be the same age come December – were contemplating “retirement.”

Grant waited anxiously last week to see if the decision had been made.

“Roger and I did talk about retiring,” Christie admitted. “Roger said he wasn’t ready.”

Grant was pleased with the response, hugging the men and saying the commitment could be considered month-to-month.

Christie and Yount aren’t only long-term volunteers.

Both are long-time Kiwanis members. Christie said he’s been a member 52 years and has had perfect attendance for 46 years. Yount has been a member more than 50 years.