Marathon Community Pot-Luck Celebrates 4 Years
Submitted by Paster David Giuliano
St. John's United Church regular Pot Luck in Marathon. Photo David Guiliano
When Marathon Pulp announced that it would close in February 2009 members of St. John’s United Church wondered what they could do to support the 230 employees and many more pensioners hit by the news.
They started a community pot-luck on Friday nights. At first, members of St. John’s imagined that it might a time for sharing job-leads, assisting with resumes and strategizing about the future of the mill. In the end those needs were being met by the Union Local, Marathon Adjustment Committee and Service Canada. The need that wasn’t being met was a need for community, a place to simply get together, share a meal and some encouragement.
Since March 2009 the weekly dinners have taken on a life of their own – and have only missed a few Fridays to accommodate other St. John’s activities. Attendance has varied from 6 to 60 but on average 30 or 40 people get together to share some food, laughter and news. There are elders, teens, children and babies.
The dinner starts at 6pm and usually wraps up before 8pm, though lately there is a group of card players who stay later. Congratulations to St. John’s and the many others who have made this a positive, friendly place to be on Friday nights for the past four years; here’s to many more!
