Welcoming guests to the annual Feeding the Spirit fundraiser, founder and board president Deborah Thackrah said when the group served its first free community meal in 2011, “People didn’t know that we would be around in a year, but here we are in our eighth year.”
The event was held May 10 at Rizzo’s Banquet Hall in Crabtree.
The Greensburg-based nonprofit bills itself as “A Soup Kitchen for the Soul” — but it’s much more than the Thursday night dinner served at Otterbein United Methodist Church.
Guests heard statistics from 2018, including rent assistance for 197 families, 461 nights of housing for 476 homeless individuals and 25 people assisted with utilities in crisis situation, along with gas cards, medical co-pays, food and hygiene items, bus tickets and more. And 4,825 meals served.
Little wonder that more than 300 people showed up to celebrate with Chef Rizzi DeFabo’s famous hot appetizer buffet, cookie table and dancing to the soulful sounds of Darryl and Kim.
“We didn’t know if anyone would come out on a Friday night,” Thackrah said modestly.
Event coordinator and board member Michele Wengryn gave credit to the rest of the board for pitching in.
Seen: Sherry Anderson, Dominick Domasky, Donna Bailey, Lisa Cannon, Judy Knapp, Rick Heil, Barbara Ferrier, Casey and Cheri Cavanaugh, Kim Rentler and Patricia Elliot-Rentler, David Wisniewski, Thomas and Diane Everett, David and Renee Dryer, Christoper Aretz, Amy Shamp, Carole Bentley, Jackie Rutkowski, Donna Rutkowski, Tim Phillips, Tay and Brenda Waltenbaugh, T.R. and Michelle Waltenbaugh, Leo Heasley, Suzanne Maroney, Tim and Cindy Andrews, Mark Korn and Dave Opalinski.
