It was a full house at the Pat Porter Active Living Centre on Tuesday evening, where more than 100 friends, family members, and longtime community supporters gathered to celebrate a man whose name has become synonymous with helping others in Steinbach — Hank Klassen.
After 44 years of unwavering dedication, mostly through his work with Southeast Helping Hands, Hank Klassen, who had officially retired on December 31, 2024, was celebrated. But if the heartfelt speeches and warm memories shared Tuesday night are any indication, his legacy will be felt in Steinbach for decades to come.
“A heart full of love”
Mayor Earl Funk shared a personal connection that stretched back to the early 1980s.
"I've known Hank since I started cutting meat in 1984," Funk recalled. “He’d come into Economy Foods for hampers, and he always had a smile, always had a hug. Our staff knew him as 'Cranky Hank', but in a loving way. There was always fun banter. You always knew when Hank came in the back door… he had an ask, and we always made sure we delivered.”
Funk paused to reflect on a moment that stuck with him:
“One time we were loading meat in the parking lot and someone said, ‘Why do you do this? These people don’t need help.’ And Hank just looked at him and said, ‘We do it for the kids.’ That moment hit me hard. That’s who Hank is. That’s what he taught me.”
“He was there for me, and I knew it.”
Joy Neufeld, founder of Steinbach’s soup kitchen "Soups On," remembered Hank’s support in her early days.
“When I first started, I visited all the local nonprofits, and that’s when I met Hank,” she said. “He showed me around the food bank and told me, ‘Whatever you need, I want to be the first to know.’ And he meant it.”
Neufeld added, “He’s just one of those people who made everyone feel supported. Now it’s time for him to enjoy life; he’s earned that rest.”
“Like a bull in a china shop, but in the best way.”
MLA Kelvin Goertzen took the mic next, reminiscing about meeting Hank nearly 30 years ago.
“When I first met him, I thought, ‘Who is this guy?’ He was like a bull in a china shop,” Goertzen laughed. “But he brought structure when we had none. He helped shape the food bank into what it is today. If we had a building big enough to fit every person Hank has touched into, we’d fill it right up, like the new Steinbach Event Centre.”
He added, “People like Hank helped me and my mom when we needed it. So, Hank, even if you’re not comfortable being in the spotlight, this community is better because of you.”
“He had the credibility.”
Provencher MP Ted Falk got a few laughs when he spoke about Hank’s tenacity.
“There aren’t many people who could walk into my business and say, ‘You need to do this,’ and I’d listen. But Hank could. Because he had credibility.”
Falk continued, “You’ve been a faithful steward of everything entrusted to you. You’ve helped start food banks in St. Anne, Vita, and Grunthal. You didn’t just give food, you gave hope. As it says in Matthew 25, ‘I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.’ That’s you, Hank. Thank you.”
“It's been a pleasure, and I’m glad I did it.”
Finally, Hank Klassen himself took the stage, humble as always.
“I didn’t think I’d get away with not saying anything… and I didn’t want to,” he admitted with a chuckle. “But I’m glad I'm here. It’s been a pleasure for 44 years to work with so many great people. We’ve helped start five different food banks, and they still come to us when they’re short. If we can help, we do.”
Looking out at the crowd, he said, “On behalf of my wife Doris and myself, thank you for being here and sharing this evening with us.”
A Legacy That Will Live On
The party may have been a retirement celebration, but it felt more like a love letter to a man who gave Steinbach his time, energy, compassion, and most of all, his heart.
As Mayor Funk put it best, “Thank you, Hank, for showing me what community really means. Because of you, I’ll keep helping people. Because of you, Steinbach is a better place.”