FINAL UPDATE! (SEPTEMBER 9):

Sunday, September 4, 2022 was our final summer dinner for our friends in Tent City 3! Our cooks and volunteers made a wonderful final dinner, and we thank Emily Meeks, Stuart Meeks, Kristen Kelly, Lynne Cobb, Connor Harrison, Scott Hulet, Mandi Mogg, Maris Olsen, and Deborah Person. Our great menu included home-made chicken pot pies, rice, salad, cake and ice cream.

This marked the conclusion of this summer’s meals with Tent City, and we thank all of our friends and supporters. Our twelve dinners seemed to go by quickly, but with many blessings for all. I am grateful for your passion and commitment. We broke some new ground with our neighbors and strengthened our own bonds of fellowship and community. Thank you all!

As Dale Evans and Roy Rogers sang in the 1950’s, “Happy Trails to you - until we meet again.”

—Chris Rigos, Maris Olsen, Deborah Person

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UPDATE (SEPTEMBER 2):

ur great thanks to our crew on Sunday, August 28! Volunteers Emily Austin, Barbara Erickson, Emily Meeks, Deborah Person, Victoria Szydlowski, and Janet Young served a fine meal and helped out on a hot summer night. The menu included baked lemon chicken and rice, salad, watermelon, and (our specialty) ice cream sundaes. We had our usual fun as we coasted into our 11th Sunday night dinner. You may see all the details in the four photos!

Our dinners continue for one final night on September 4. Please do not forget our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on September 11 at 6 p.m.  And, please know that on Sunday, September 18, we are again starting up our preparation and serving of dinners to the men at the Saint Martin de Porres Shelter down on the waterfront after a long 30-month hiatus. (We still need volunteers for September 18! Write to Chris to get involved.)

Thank you all for making this summer a great launching for a continued Saint Marks Community meals program!

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UPDATE (AUGUST 26):

Our many thanks to volunteers Brook Brayman, Scott Hulet, Joel Bendickson, Cherie Bradshaw, Jen Younggren, and Sandy Piscatello for our 10th Sunday night dinner to our Tent City guests. Our fine menu included beef stroganoff, Caesar salad, rolls, butter, lemonade, and ice cream Sundays. The photos below show all the fun!

At 15 years old, Joel helped us on our intergenerational ministry goals! Next summer we will make more plans for family involvement. We will have two more Sunday dinners this 2022 summer for our guests before they leave our parking lot with our prayers and best wishes.  It has been great to watch this new ministry move from dreams to actuality. Thanks be to God!

On September 11 the ministry coordinating team will be hosting the Volunteer Appreciation dinner for all those who helped or will be helping. Please RSVP to Chris Rigos if you plan to attend the dinner on September 11; all who participated in any way are welcome!

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UPDATE (AUGUST 19):

Our many thanks to volunteers Brook Brayman, Katherine Adams, Debra Waddell, Barbara Zito, and Sandy Piscatello for our ninth Sunday night dinner to our Tent City guests. Their fine menu included beef tortilla pie, pink lemonade, and ice cream Sundays. Everyone enjoyed the meal, the conversation, and the camaraderie on a beautiful Sunday night. We will have three more Sunday dinners for our guests before they leave our parking lot with our prayers and best wishes.

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UPDATE (AUGUST 12):

Our great thanks to our crew on Sunday, August 7! Volunteers Deborah Person, Nathan Clark, Debra Waddell, Ashley Hedeen, Kathy Sodergren, Jen Younggren, Emily Arnold, and Janet Young served a fine meal and helped out on a hot summer night. The menu included baked chicken with BBQ sauce, cornbread, watermelon, and (our specialty) ice cream sundaes. We had our usual fun as we coasted into our 8th Sunday night dinner. You may see all the details in the three photos below!

Our dinners continue for four more Sundays. Our team is making plans for a great roll out next 2023 summer. We are hoping for new and continued volunteers, an improved scheduling system, budding cooks, some accommodation for families eager to join in. Our most prized possession is our dedicated volunteers who have made this summer something new. We have learned more about our guests and each other, as we have taken turns folding napkins, cleaning tables, serving in line, and chatting on every topic possible. Thank you!

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UPDATE (AUGUST 5):

On Sunday night, July 31 the Tent City Meals ministry enjoyed sharing their 7th Sunday night dinner with our Tent City guests. Our fine chefs and volunteers Christopher Breunig, Courtney Van Stolk, Janelle Walhout, Keiko Maruyama, and Mark Stumpf made the evening a hit by serving chicken teriyaki stir fry with rice, braised vegetables, and (as always) ice cream sundaes.

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UPDATE (JULY 29):

We had another fine dinner for our tent City guests on July 24 due to the great work of our volunteers Erin Beary-Andersen, Casey Beary-Andersen, Debra Waddell, Kristine Ekman, Molly Tennis, Allison Narver, and Mark Stumpf. The menu was delicious—meat lasagna, fresh green beans, green salad, fruit salad, and ice cream sundaes!

Co-coordinators Maris Olsen and Chris Rigos are thrilled that we have completed six of our 12 Sunday night dinners with positive feedback from cooks, volunteers, and guests. Thank you all for your help and support. And, the winner is…. Actually, we are all winners, and the photo below show the fun!

NOTE: The Ministry Steering Committee is pleased to announce a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on September 11 (following the departure of Tent City) for the volunteers who have served or will serve at the upcoming six dinners. No Saint Mark’s funds will be used for this “Thank You” to our volunteers. More information will be provided as we get closer to September 11. For any questions, please contact Chris Rigos at crigos33@gmail.com or Maris Olsen at maris.olsen@gmail.com

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UPDATE (JULY 22): Thanks to the volunteers on July 17 for another fine Sunday night for our Tent City guests. Volunteers Keiko Maruyama, Morgan Bawcom-Randall, Adam Oberstadt, Kate Causey, Kathy Albert, Nancy and Andy Valaas, Pamela Bradburn, and Heather Millar all pitched in for a smoothly-run fine dinner. Our menu was chicken Alfredo casserole, green salad, fruit salad, and brownies with ice cream. Yum!

As we reported recently, the remaining 7 weeks of Sunday night dinners are full of volunteers. Because of illness or last-minute conflicts, we may have some room for fill-ins. Co-coordinators Chris Rigos and Maris Olsen will keep those who have expressed interest informed. Email Chris or Maris with any questions.

One volunteer wrote, ”Thank you for organizing this opportunity to serve people in need.” We add our own "Thank You" to all who are making this ministry sustainable, including our dedicated church staff, clergy, and faithful volunteers who have offered endless help!

UPDATE (JULY 15): Our many thanks for a fine July 10 dinner to our Tent City guests prepared by volunteers Kathy Albert, Laurel Petrik, Erin Beary Anderson, Cinda Madonna, and Emily Austin. Our menu included Tater Tot casserole, coleslaw, brownies, and ice cream. Our weather was fine, and all enjoyed themselves. Below you will see our photos of all the fun!

As we reported a few days ago, we have now filled all volunteer spots for the remaining seven dinners of the summer. Thank you!

UPDATE (JULY 8): Our thanks to volunteers Allison Narver, Eliacin Rosario-Cruz, Kathy Albert, John Weintraub, and Katherine Adams for a fine July 3 dinner for our tent City guests. You can see the photos below, as we prepared grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, coleslaw, potato salad, and ice cream! Even though the weather was a bit damp, we and our guests enjoyed ourselves.

UPDATE (JULY 1): The Tent City Meals ministry co-coordinators Chris Rigos and Maris Olsen report that our second dinner on June 26 was a fun, outdoor barbecue at Leffler House with seating under the front yard trees. Our menu included grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, potato salad, fresh fruit, a chilled can of seltzer water, and ice cream. Everyone was grateful to our five volunteers Peter Snyder, Cherie Bradshaw, Linzi Stahlecker, Jen Younggren, and Barbara Erickson. A good time was had by all! One volunteer commented that sitting under the trees with a cool drink talking to a young guest was a thrill.

Next week the Steering Committee will open volunteer registration for the final seven Sunday dinners (from July 24 through September 4). We welcome new cooks and volunteers! Volunteers who will have served during the first five weeks are welcome to volunteer again, but we ask that they wait a few days to allow new persons to register. We would love to have you join us, pitch in, and enjoy the fun! Please send any questions to Chris Rigos at crigos33@gmail.com or Maris Olsen at maris.olsen@gmail.com.

UPDATE (JUNE 24): On June 19 the Cathedral prepared and shared a fine dinner meal with our guests in Tent City 3. Our able chefs Maris Olsen and Deborah Person served sloppy joes, fruit salad, coleslaw, and ice cream to 24 guests. Our volunteers Sandy Piscatello, Kathy Albert, and Ashley Hedeen helped with set up, serving, and clean up, and then sat down to eat with our guests. Reports from our guests were positive, and they are invited back this Sunday night for a barbeque! Dinners will continue for the next ten weeks with volunteer cooks and servers. Check out some photos below! (click to enlarge)