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Eggman exits Yk day shelter

A friendly face is leaving the Safe Harbour Day Shelter after four years of lending a helping hand.

Brian Fletcher, also known as Eggman, is saying good-bye to the day shelter after four years of delivering hard boiled eggs each morning.
Dylan Short/NNSL photo

The Yellowknife day shelter held a pancake breakfast Aug. 21 to bid farewell to Brian Fletcher, a volunteer who has delivered hard-boiled eggs to those frequenting the shelter every morning for the past four years.

Better known as Eggman to the people in the shelter, Fletcher previously worked as a volunteer at Yellowknife's former drop-in shelter.

“I started bringing eggs in because I used to be one of the workers at the old drop-in and the drop-in was closed in May of 2014 . . . and when the disability council took over for the first two months, there wasn't a strong emphasis on food like there was before,” said Fletcher. “I felt there was a need for food and I knew how much they enjoyed the hard-boiled eggs.”
After volunteering at the now-closed drop-in shelter, Fletcher became a staff member due to a requirement that stated the shelter needed at least two staff members on site to remain open. It was during that time he noticed that eggs were not only liked by clients but that they were an easy meal to provide.

“They're economical; they're easy to carry. I knew they were liked and when you're done it's easy to clean the pot,” said Fletcher. “So when you're cooking for 40 people it seems like a big task but when it's boiling eggs it's not too bad.”

Due to his day job through the church, Fletcher’s work with Yellowknife’s homeless population continued beyond breakfast hours. Over the past few years, Fletcher has spent time washing the streets and alleys that are most commonly occupied by the those less fortunate.

But now Fletcher will take some time to decide on what his next steps will be. He said with it now being time to move on to a new chapter, he will discuss with his wife where they will go next.

“I’m going to find a quiet place like a cabin with my wife and think about it for 30 days and see where God wants us to go next physically, mentally and spiritually,” said Fletcher.

His departure comes shortly before the day shelter is set to move once again. A new day shelter and sobering shelter is set to open on 50 Street on Oct. 2. With the current location to be vacated in September, a temporary shelter will be opened in the Yellowknife Arena.