A Mighty Oak Thanksgiving, 2023...
Last year at this time, we were able to share how beautiful our first Mighty Oak Thanksgiving dinner was. Parents and family members readily jumped in to volunteer, serving food, picking up trash, and cleaning. This year I get to share that our parents stepped up even more, going above and beyond.
Historically, our events have been heavily reliant on a small team of Love City staff. A few of us would spend all day working to make the food and serve it, sometimes not even getting time ourselves to sit down and share the meal with our neighbors. We considered not hosting a Thanksgiving meal this year with the current capacity of our team, but then the community stepped up.
Our Kindergarten teacher Ms. Hannah came to us asking if she could put on a small potluck for her class and their families at Porkland. When the other teachers heard about this idea they wanted to join in. By the end of it, we had a meal. We created a simple signup genius and had over 25 families sign up to bring sides and desserts. We provided the chicken and the Mighty Oak community did the rest.
When we first began doing events it was just about the community receiving and enjoying the event. The past couple of years we have begun to see some in the community coming alongside us to help us put on the events while some of the community still just enjoys the event. This year, we got to witness some of the community stepping up to help lead, like Ms. Hannah and the parent’s in her class, but there was also a majority of the families who participated in the potluck, if not every family. This progression is the way it is supposed to be, the community gradually doing more, and distributing responsibilities amongst ourselves so that they do not all fall onto a few select individuals. That is how a community is supposed to work.
We had multiple parents who showed up at 4 yesterday to start helping get stuff ready and staying until 7:30 to finish cleaning and setting up for today's Fish Fry. Every time that I think I have seen community at its finest, it finds a way to still surprise me, a way where heaven shines through more clearly, more visibly, more tangibly than before. It is the growth of a community, a step in our community's journey as it matures, solidifies, and stabilizes. I am excited to see and be able to share with you the next steps of this community’s journey as they happen.
Ethan
Next Friday 11/24 Fish Fry Closed
We will not be having the Fish Fry next Friday to allow our team to enjoy Thanksgiving with their families.
GEAR UP for WINTER with LOVE CITY!!!
As the temperatures drop, it becomes the perfect to get your cozy Portland or Love City Shirt. We also have beanies to keep that noggin’ warm. Shop Now!
Some of our Various Designs
Cater your HOLIDAYS with Porkland!!!
The Holidays are fast approaching so get prepared with Porkland Catering. Options include Smoked Pork and Chicken, delicious warm Mac n’ Cheese, and even homemade Cobblers. Email or Call to Order now!!!
If you are interested in volunteering or to find out more information about supplies needed please email: info@lovecityinc.org or call (502) 272-078.