Pork Dinner to support parish Social Justice and Peace Initiatives

02/28/2019

Council: 10020 - No. WINDHAM

Project Description:

Our parish supports a number of Social Justice and Peace initiatives carried out by the men and women of our parish. Social Justice and Peace initiatives include putting on a monthly meal for those in need through out the community, bringing meals to support the regional program to help selected families get on their feet (Family Promise), putting on a post mass coffee/donuts/fruit social twice a month to bring parish community together, and preparing 120 food “baskets” to be handed out to families in need at Thanksgiving thru local food pantries. These initiatives require financial support and the Pork Dinner was one of several ways to support these programs.

A month before the Pork Dinner, several Brother Knights took the lead on publicity – sending announcements to local papers about the event, posting the event on the parish sign, printing and eventually stuffing flyers into the parish bulletin a week before the event. Other Brother Knights announced the event at masses, and encouraged parishioners to attend post mass on the day of the event.

One Brother Knight took the lead as the main chef – spending hours purchasing needed food and supplies and supervising preparation of the food on the day of the event. On the morning of the event, five Brother Knights set up the parish Hall, moving the movable walls, setting up tables and chairs, place mats, knives/forks/spoons, pre-washing all plates and silverware. These same brothers also peeled the 50 lb of potatoes and carrots – getting them ready to be cooked. In the early afternoon other Brother Knights arrived early and began cooking the food. Other Brother Knights and their spouses prepared over 120 servings of deserts. The meal consisted of roast pork and gravy, mashed potatoes, carrots, applesauce, an assortment of deserts, coffee/tea/juices, and misc. fixings.

Seventeen Brother Knights, along with a number of their spouses and children, helped prepare and serve the 60+ people who attended the dinner. We held a 50/50 raffle with winners receiving tickets to our November dinner, and a prize to the grand winner of over $100. The combined efforts raised over $500 to support the local Social Justice and Peace efforts.