I flew to Kansas on Thursday to assist my dad and mom with the annual Valentine’s Banquet they assist host for his or her church and neighborhood. That is an annual custom they began years in the past and it’s a much-anticipated occasion yearly. I assumed you’d get pleasure from seeing a recap of the occasion and it’d encourage you with concepts for occasions you would possibly assist host or provide you with concepts when you’d love to do one thing comparable in your neighborhood!
Final 12 months, I acquired to assist with it and loved it a lot that I requested if I may come again once more this 12 months to assist! The preparation for it begins weeks prematurely with planning the theme and the decor and the menu plan. It takes lots of palms and volunteer hours to tug off and the top outcomes had been unimaginable!
Friday morning, we went to the church to assist with the cooking prep and decor set-up. I helped make the dessert (cheesecake in chocolate bowls) — I made 6 batches (I feel?) of the cheesecake combination, washed over 100 goblet glasses, helped plan the technique for all of the serving, and helped chop and peel meals and clear up. It was so enjoyable to observe all of it come to life and what number of palms really made mild work!
My sister, Olivia, made dairy-free, gluten-free desserts for these with sensitivities/allergic reactions. The dinner menu was totally gluten-free besides the rolls and she or he additionally made gluten-free rolls for individuals who had been GF.
We had 56 {couples} who RSVP’d for the occasion + all of the servers and further helpers, so all totaled it was round 140 individuals who can be consuming dinner, which meant there was heaps and many meals to make!
Whereas a few of us had been engaged on meals, there was an entire different workforce of individuals engaged on reworking the worship middle right into a banquet corridor!
In the course of the dinner, every desk was given dialogue questions to speak about collectively (see beneath). Then, after the dinner, my dad led some enjoyable couple video games (with prizes!), then gave an inspiring speak on marriage, after which the {couples} all went off individually to debate some questions particularly to assist strengthen their marriage and spend time praying collectively.
I acquired the unimaginable privilege of attending to oversee the 18 servers and all of the meals going out to everybody’s desk. I simply need to say, I got here away so inspired by watching the following technology of younger individuals. So most of the servers had been younger males and I used to be blown away by their willingness to volunteer hours of their time to work so arduous, have such nice attitudes, take such initiative, and never cease till all of the dishes had been executed and all the things was cleaned up.
At first, when each couple arrived, they’d their picture taken by Andrew Cook dinner. Then, through the banquet, he had all of them printed and put them into frames so that everybody acquired to take one dwelling on the finish as a particular memento of the night.
Right here’s my dad and mom’ picture. It was so particular to get to assist them out and work along with them on this occasion!
A few of the pictures on this publish had been taken by Andrew Cook dinner Pictures and used with permission.
