Inside the cafeteria at the Stephen Center, Robert Wilson preps for lunch service and feeding upwards of 100 homeless men and women. He looks more like a rocker than a chef, towering more than six feet tall, wearing a silver skull ring and a black skull bandana wrapped around spikey black hair. He puts on a Spotify playlist that includes Papa Roach, Guns and Roses, and Rise Against.
"I feel like a rock star in this kitchen," he says.
Upstairs in the wellness office, Lesa Edmundson goes through some paper work and gets ready to see Stephen Center clients for the day. She is a petite build, with long sandy hair. She sports navy blue scrubs that say VNA in white lettering.
You wouldn't expect the two to be besties, peas in the pod, or even close friends. But that is exactly what they have become.
"I'm a recovering alcoholic and addict. I abused alcohol and drugs for 35 years of my life," he explains.
It was six years ago for Wilson, as he was staying at the Stephen Center. He was homeless and working to stay sober. That's when he met Edmundson. The registered nurse had moved to a new role with the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA). Edmundson was now one of four nurses that rotate through Council Bluffs and Omaha area shelters.
Immediately, both said they felt a bond that went beyond blood pressure checks.
"I didn't feel like I was in an environment with somebody that was just herding cattle through. Checking your stuff and going 'ok', just waiting for the next patient. She paid a lot of attention to me as a person and that's made me feel really comfortable," Wilson said.
"Robert is a very humble individual. He's just so giving and caring. Every day when I say 'how are you?' he says 'I'm blessed!' It's just so awesome that every day he feels like he's in a good place," Edmundson said.
Now, this tough rocker with a heart of gold says its because of people like Lesa Edmundson that he's able to pay it forward and help others. Wilson works in the kitchen making hearty food, feeding the stomach, the spirit, and soul.
Edmundson and the three other traveling nurses that are in shelters are funded all by donation drives and community fundraising. VNA is having the 20th anniversary of its popular Art & Soup fundraiser at 2:00pm on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017 at the Embassy Suites - La Vista Hotel and Conference Center. Soups, breads and desserts will be served by the area's best chefs and restaurants. There is also an opportunity to view and purchase items from over 40 local artists, who donate at least 50 percent of their sales to VNA. For more information, visit thevnacares.org.
