Luke 14 Dinner brings people together with food and faith
On Friday, February 21st, First Presbyterian Church hosted a Luke 14 Dinner, which included inviting the families of those with mental or physical disabilities for a dinner. The volunteers for the event could have many different jobs, including being a buddy for different people with unique mental or physical disabilities or serving food. This dinner was held with the help of Joni and Friends, a Christian ministry that helps disabled people around the world.
Ms. Headley’s service learning class helped organize the fun games that were taking place in the gym for the buddies and those they were looking after along with their siblings. These activities included volleyball and face painting, and there was a dinner served that was catered by Penn’s. Ms. Kwasny, who works for Joni and Friends, came and spoke to Ms. Headley’s service learning class two separate times to discuss the event.
Ms. Kwasny said that she loved that the Prep students “did not show any fear of the unknown,” and how they “jumped right in to serve.” Sarah Herring, a junior at Prep and a volunteer at the event, loved serving at the event and said that it was “so humbling and rewarding because it challenged me to step outside my comfort zone and create relationships with a community that I am not always exposed to.”
After the volunteers arrived and signed in, they sat down in the gym and were told the plan for the night. Then, once the event started, the volunteers got to spend time with the disabled people who participated in the event along with their siblings.
The event was a great opportunity for the students of Jackson Prep who volunteered along with the several other volunteers at the event to serve those in our community who needed to enjoy a dinner while volunteers looked after their family members and/or friends.
Lilly Noble, a volunteer at the event, said that “the Luke 14 dinner was a very rewarding experience that was a great way to start the weekend.” In order to learn more about the Joni and Friends ministry or future upcoming events to volunteer for or donate to, visit joniandfriends.org.
