As part of a community service project headed up by Leadership Alamance participants, 40 Allied Churches shelter residents were treated to a fine dining experience on April 19th. The ACAC dining room was converted into a five-star restaurant for the evening, complete with flowers, music, waitstaff, and filet mignon! Several community donors contributed to the event, which fulfilled its purpose beautifully; making every resident feel special and respected.
Leadership Alamance participant Leanna Giles expressed her excitement prior to the dinner, "Everyone in our group is confident in our ability to pull this off. We recognize that at the end of the day, we're all just people. We all deserve the same treatment."
Starting at 1 p.m. on the day of the event, vendors, ACAC staff, and Leadership Alamance participants were working to transform the dining room. Pipe and draping were brought in to cover the service line and kitchen doors. Flower arrangements to match the decor were donated by local highschool students. Navy linens and full place settings were placed on each round table.
Staff helped get female residents ready for the special evening by setting up a makeup station in the ACAC Drop-In Center. Shoes, jewelry, and hair accessories were available for extra flair. Anticipation for the dinner exuded from each and every person involved.
ACAC shelter resident Quatisha said that this was a completely new experience for her, "I've never had the chance to do something like this. This is really special for me and for my family."
At 5:30, Executive Director Kim Crawford acted as hostess and seated each table individually. Reservations were called and each guest had an opportunity to take a photo as they arrived. As music played, a three-course meal was served with coffee, tea, and lemonade. Children enjoyed a "Kids Club" complete with games and a kid-friendly buffet dinner while their parents got to enjoy the adult company!
Most importantly, everyone was able to laugh, socialize, and enjoy themselves. Homeless doesn't have to mean hopeless. Leadership Alamance put together such a wonderful reminder of that for all of us.
April 2015