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The first Pick-Me-Up-Friday at Calvary Reformed Church fed some 200 families in 25 minutes Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. with pans of dinners to feed four in a family, according to Pastor Brett Dood.
The event aimed at those suffering from the Pandemic closure was to have lasted until 5 p.m. however the church was already out of food by 3:25 with residents driving up to the church on Second Street and Vera Avenue for another hour and a half. A sign was placed at the driveway entrance messaging SOLD OUT!
The food for the dinners had been purchased from Ripon restaurants for those in need and with the hope to keep restaurant workers busy in the preparation.
“We were looking for ways to help the community,” said Pastor Brett Dood who watched the cars drive up early, some 10 minutes before the event was to have started. The Ripon Road House prepared 100 of their signature meatloaf dinner with mashed potatoes and the Vine House offered another 100 chicken and vegetable dishes. The church through its community Love Fund also gave away some 50 gift cards to other restaurants.
The church with its nearly 1,000 families, used its pastoral team that worked the dinner hand-out including Shawn Lewis, Phil Krygsheld, and its pastor, who noted they feel their church is “a hospital for the hurting.”
“We heard so many thank yours,” Pastor Brett said. “People added they didn't think a local church would do this for the community.” Dinner recipients did not have to be members of the Calvary church, he noted.
Many who accepted the dinners also wanted to leave their donations toward the project, but they were respectfully declined. There is a link, however, on the church website where anyone can donate to the dinner project.
The dinners will be served every Friday afternoon in the weeks to come, the pastor said.
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