Sometimes a meal is more than just a meal
Sometimes, a meal provided by The Salvation Army is needed by somebody who can afford their own food just as much as it is needed by somebody who cannot.
Enter Edwin and Merna Schmitz (pictured) of Litchfield, Minn. They typically give to Salvation Army kettles. But this year, in search of fellowship, they received.
Last month, they attended a Salvation Army-sponsored Christmas meal at First Evangelical Lutheran of Litchfield. Edwin had thought it would be a good idea to get out and do something different for Christmas. More than 150 people attended, allowing Edwin and Merna to break bread and converse with neighbors they otherwise wouldn’t have seen during the holidays.
The meal was, in effect, the perfect way for Edwin and Merna to nourish their souls.
“I was ready to give them $5 – they wouldn’t take it,” Edwin said. “They did a dang good job with turkey, ham and all of the stuffing. It turned out so good; we were well satisfied.”
Karla Hyberger, Meeker County Salvation Army board member, helped organize the meal not only for hungry locals, but for people just like Edwin and Merna.
“The Christmas dinner is a staple,” Hyberger said. “It’s a time to be with others at a time when some people can feel a bit more lonely.”
Christmas meals are just one of the many different ways your donations to the kettles help provide for those in need in our communities – be it a family that cannot afford enough food, or a retired couple seeking fellowship.
In addition to donations, such events require the help of plenty of volunteers. For more information about how you can get involved throughout the year, take a look at volunteer opportunities where you live.