Village Harvest, Feb. 15, 2017 (full size gallery)
We go behind the scenes to show how the Harvest is put together. It takes a team to purchase the food, a team to unload and then organize it, get people checked in during the afternoon and a fellowship to make people feel at home. Yes, a full day and depends on our volunteers in an out of the church.
It’s 7:30am on Wed. Feb 15, 2017 – the 3rd Wednesday in the month and Village Harvest day.
Catherine and Roger leave Port Royal at 7:30am and arrive at the Northern Neck Food Bank in Warsaw about 45 minutes from Port Royal at around 8:15am. Yes, very early!
All of the produce comes from the Northern Neck Food Bank. They have prepared an order not knowing how many people will come in the afternoon. After an hour the Food Bank has St. Peter’s order ready to load.
This month we had plenty of vegetables, green beans, oranges, peppers, squash,onions, cabbages and potatoes from them. We also gave out chicken, soup, crackers, oatmeal and macaroni and cheese.
Back at St. Peter’s by 10am. Bible study is from 10-12pm, ecumenical style so no minutes to lose. At break, people are organized to unload the food. Mind and body in action!
In the afternoon, Catherine can use the time before the harvest begins at 3:30pm to visit parishioners but she is usually there to help to complete the setup with other volunteers who come around 2pm. It’s market style but the boxes have to be arranged and food donations from parishioners throughout the month in the church have to be integrated into the market. Check in procedures for clients have be setup.
Finally, signs are up by 3:30pm. Clients tend to come in waves so there is some waiting in between but there is good fellowship in between. It’s all over by 5pm. An all day job!
110 were served, a smaller number than in earlier months as the group from Essex. Still there was a better balance between food and clients. Markets like the Village Harvest are the Gospel in action.