To the editor:
The organizers of the Feast of Love Christmas Dinner would like to thank all those who helped to make our Christmas bright by continuing our annual holiday tradition this year, celebrating our fourth decade of offering folks a chance to gather and spread the spirit of the season with our friends and neighbors.
With special thanks to the good folks of Christ First United Methodist Church for hosting us; Lapp Family Bakery for donating pies and breads; Jeff Carroll and his team at the FishWhistle at the Granary for preparing over a dozen turkeys (additional thanks to Kent County Food Pantry and Melitota Turkeys for providing birds); Bill Drazga from MusicLife for filling the fellowship hall with song; and to the over 25 volunteers who took time from their own families to cook, serve, sing and share with our community.
We especially want to recognize a couple of volunteers for their long service to the dinner. Barbara Harrison has been greeting folks at the door for 15 years and leading carols, and Emerson Cotton has been arriving early to carve turkeys for over 20 years.
I am also grateful for the support of Jen Rickert, who has been working to bring back the monthly meals at the church for helping ensure that events like this are well organized and can continue for a long time to come.
These folks, and those like them, who take time to serve are, to quote the great Linus VanPelt, truly “what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
Over 50 people came to the meal, and as many to-go plates went out to those who were at home.
It remains our great honor and privilege to keep this holiday tradition alive and share it with all of you.
We hope that you will find your way to the monthly Community Table meal served on the first Monday of the month (next one is January 5), and whether you are hungry in your stomach or in your heart, I promise you will always leave full.
With hopes of a better year to come and thanks for all,
Bill Arrowood
Chestertown
Bill Arrowood is the son of Yvonne Arrowood, who is credited with originating the Feast of Love in 1984 and continued to serve as its leader for many, many years. He took on the leadership role in 2023, following Janet Sigler, who had headed up the event for about a decade.
