Hope for the holidays
Amy Romanetti, left, and Cindy Peterson check the cakes to be served Saturday at the Hope Dinner.
Harry Reedy, left, wife Debbie, daughter Kayla and son Troy are waiting to be served dinner at the Hope Dinner at Central Assembly of God Saturday.
From left, Chris Burgess, Kim Snedeker and Anna Adamski stand Saturday with bundles to be given to adults at the Hope Dinner.
Finding a warm meal is a challenge for most of its guests so sitting down to a meal that is both delicious and elegantly served is a real treat.
More than 200 adults and 50 children sat down Saturday for a Hope Dinner at tables covered with linen cloths set with China and silverware as waiters and waitresses wearing white shirts and black pants served them a four-course meal. Their plates hosted appetizers and salad with beef tenderloin and baked potatoes as the main entree and homemade cake for dessert.
The congregation of Central Assembly of God in Chartiers Township has opened its doors for the last several years serving food, but also providing fellowship to those who may be struggling financially. The Hope Dinners are served one Saturday a month from March through November.
“It has been going on for about five years,” said Anna Adamski, dinner and volunteer coordinator.
The idea came after Pastor Kurt Jenkins posed a question to the congregation, asking them what they would do if time, money and resources were not an issue. One member of the congregation came up with the idea for the dinner.
“The majority of the church donates greatly to this as well as businesses in the area,” Adamski said.
Sign-up sheets are hung at various locations such as food banks, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, thrift stores and housing projects in the Canonsburg and Washington areas. While some guests drive themselves to the dinner, the church sends a bus or van to pick up the diners and bring them to the fellowship hall.
The number of guests at each dinner usually averages between 70 and 125 people, said Chris Burgess, one of the volunteers. He said the holiday dinner usually attracts the most, but the number of people at Saturday’s meal was a record.
Amy Romanetti oversees the team of volunteers working in the kitchen, preparing the meals to be served to the guests. In the summer, there is a picnic at a farm in Hickory where the meal this year included turkey on the spit and 100 pounds of chicken wings roasted over a fire. Last month’s menu featured nachos and cheese as the appetizer and pulled pork sandwiches and corn as the main course.
Romanetti said she learned to cook, growing up in her grandmother’s kitchen.
“I love to cook,” Romanetti said. “We usually have a meeting at the beginning the year and put together ideas for the nine dinners for the year. Sometimes we have to tweak the menus as we go along, depending if we get certain things donated.”
Adamski said Mary Jo Andrews, who along with Cindy Peterson, is part of the team coordinating dinners, had gone to Chick-fil-A in South Strabane Township. The restaurant donated 500 chicken nuggets that were served to the children as well as 50 cow stuffed animals. The new Primanti Brothers restaurant in North Strabane Township donates Italian bread for the dinners.
Harry and Debbie Reedy of Canonsburg along with their 21-year-old daughter, Kayla Reedy, and 19-year-old son, Troy Reedy, have been regulars at the dinners for the last three years.
“I enjoy visiting with the people. The people in the church are very, very nice,” Reedy said, adding “And the food is very good. This is a very nice thing for them to do for people.”
His son agreed.
“The people are kind,” he said.
Reedy said before the meal was served, they were trying to get a hint as to what might be on the menu. Debbie Reedy said that her favorite meal had been the turkey, but that was before the plate containing the beef tenderloin and baked potatoes was set down in front of her.
“But anytime I don’t have to cook and we get a meal out is good,” she said. “And this is fun.”
No Christmas dinner would be complete without carols, led by Adam Brock who is the church’s creative arts pastor.
The guests not only receive a tasty, hearty meal, but also other treats for the holiday. Adamski said there are usually items donated and available for the guests to pick up throughout the year such as clothing and other items at the Thrift Shop. But for this special holiday dinner, each adult will receive a festively wrapped bundle containing a new pillow, blanket, towel set and rug along with toiletries like a toothbrush and toothpaste put together by Kim Snedeker and her volunteers. Each child will get a gift card and grab bag gift.
And, so the guests do not forget their special evening, a profession photographer took pictures of each of them. Adamski said the church has the addresses of those who attended the dinner and will have the Christmas photos sent to them before the holidays.
For more information on the Hope Dinners, go to wwww.hope-dinner.org or visit www.facebook.com/hope dinners.