Dear Reader,
Something happened over the holidays that inspired my New Year's Resolution.
When Bailey, my 27 year-old granddaughter, visited over the Thanksgiving holiday, she noticed a framed "award" on my dining room wall. When she asked what it was, I told her I used to serve a free meal to 125 folks every Friday, when I lived in Madison, and one of the guests made the award for me.
"You used to serve free meals every Friday? I never knew that about you, Grandma."
I was surprised. Looking back over the things I've done in my life so far, I guess I just took it for granted that she knew everything about me. But thinking about it, there are a lot of things I never knew about my grandparents, and now I wish I did. And so I told Bailey about the "Best Restaurant in Madison" award.
When I read a story in the local newspaper that "The Neighborhood House" in Madison, Wisconsin wanted to start serving one free meal a month, immediately I knew I had to respond. I was really excited about the opportunity, even though I didn't know anything about it yet.
After I found out more about the proposed monthly free meal, I committed to preparing and serving it myself. Previously, I owned a restaurant (which was another story I hadn't told Bailey), so serving 125 people wasn't a big deal for me.
"The Neighborhood House" promoted the upcoming meal and I started cooking. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, tossed salad, deviled eggs, coffee, bottles of water and of course, dessert--chocolate cake.
Pretty soon, the once a month meal turned into twice a month, three times, then four, but not without help. My husband and I published a business magazine in the community, so I began enlisting local businesses to get involved. Every week a different restaurant would provide the main course, another would make the salad, mashed potatoes and vegetables, a paper company donated plates, napkins and silverware, a bakery made the chocolate cake and Schoeps Ice Cream topped it off with strawberry, chocolate or vanilla. I needed help serving, so I contacted businesses and each week six volunteers would show up to make the deviled eggs, serve lunch and clean up.
Eventually I even started a program for high school students to come and serve the meal once a month.
The award Bailey noticed on my wall? At one of the meals a guest stood up and announced that everyone wanted to thank me, and she presented me with an "award" and I received a standing ovation. The woman had cut phrases out of magazines and pasted them on the award: "There's a Warm Welcome Waiting for You. Elegant Yet Affordable, Gifts from the Heart, Great times, Quality Taste, Relaxing Atmosphere, Dine with Us."
"I never knew that about you, Grandma!" And just like when Bailey was a little girl and asked, "Grandma will you tell me a story?" I decided that my New Year's resolution was to keep telling my granddaughter the stories from my life, all year long.
Click here to see a photo of the award, that still hangs on my dining room wall.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise this title deserves your attention:
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HAUNTED HOUSE by Heather Graham
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THE BAIT by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose
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