Way Cool Potluck Pictures and Comments

Families came to be a part of this truly wonderful Christmas meal at Wayside Christian Mission. Volunteers from all over the community came with their favorite dishes and served them up to the homeless and hungry of our community. The Mission's residents were pleasantly surprised to have a home cooked meal (although it came from many homes) this Christmas. We are truly grateful for all who cooked or came to serve our Way Cool Potluck. It really put the "home" in the holidays for our residents.





Great care was taken to fill the plates that would be served. Volunteers began arriving at 4:30 AM and worked till closing about 7:00 PM. One family of four arrived and asked if I remembered them. They had stayed at the Mission nearly 16 years earlier when their 18 year old daugter, who was also lending a hand, was only 2. Also helping was their son now 16, then born to a mother residing at Wayside. They said they wanted to give back to a place that had helped them during a trying time.


Carving and laying out the ham and turkey was a big chore as over 100 turkeys were served. Both our 822 East Market Street kitchen and our 432 East Jefferson Street kitchen were in full swing serving separate but similar meals. Much of the food had to be prepared at the newly opened kitchen on Jefferson Street which served as a drop off point for the donated prepared dishes. A city inspector made a final inspection of the newly installed vent hood system on Friday, giving us approval to use the kitchen equipment. A health department inspector followed giving us the go ahead to use the kitchen on Christmas day.



There are many wonderful people in this community who made the Potluck possible. Several of our new but used kitchen stoves were not w0rking and thanks be to God, several people stepped up to solve the problems. Ladyfingers Catering service let us use their 4 compartment portable convection ovens, and Reliable Mechanical leaders secured a generator to run the ovens and helped get them to Jefferson Street. Bob, a wonderful volunteer, worked nearly full time for two weeks making sure we had the electrical needed to make the day a success. Vanco loanded us a refrigerated trailer to store all the prepared dishes. Many others had their hand in the potluck which was just about as successful as it could have been.