CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew and St. Peter Church parishioners recently participated in the 2021 annual Turkey Cook-Off at McCreesh Place Nov. 23. Turkeys were donated and residents cooked them, competing for the prize of best turkey.
This year’s event featured a partnership with Serve Charlotte’s Homeless. This grassroots group provided sides, desserts, drinks and paper goods for the 100 residents and staff at McCreesh Place.
Serve Charlotte’s Homeless has been aiding Charlotte’s less fortunate for over a decade. The group had been serving hot meals at the Hal Marshall Building & County Services location in Charlotte nearly every Thursday, until the pandemic shut down this effort.
Jeff Wilson, the group’s leader, realized that people experiencing food insecurity were still in need, so immediately after the pandemic hit in March 2020 he started creating “to-go” meal bags. Every Thursday a group of volunteers takes these meals to the Hal Marshall building parking lot to distribute to the homeless and then take any leftovers to McCreesh Place.
— Kate Dennstaedt
JEFFERSON — Knights of Columbus Council 16839 in Jefferson recently presented new coats to marginalized children of The Nest Alliance.
Receiving the coats was Michelle Dix, a coordinator for the welfare of children in Ashe County.
Representing the Knights were Deputy Grand Knight Sir Luis De La Cerda and his wife Lydia, Financial Secretary Sir Rick LaBonte and his wife Diane, and Trustee Sir Bob Breton and his wife Jill.
The children had big smiles on their faces when they received their new coats, Dix reported afterwards.
— Patrick Hession, correspondent