KAPAA This is a grateful time of the year, said Mary Margaret Smith of the All Saints Episcopal Church and Preschool.
KAPAA — This is a grateful time of the year, said Mary Margaret Smith of the All Saints Episcopal Church and Preschool.
“It doesn’t matter whether a person is rich or poor,” said Smith, a project co-chair of the Kapaa Interfaith Association Thanksgiving luncheon. “We all need each other, and this luncheon is not just about lunch, it’s about fellowship and getting together.”
Several hundred people filled the All Saints gym Thursday, being served a meal prepared by Mark’s Place and Contemporary Flavors Catering by the corps of young people in the KIA.
“This is the most people I’ve seen since we started the lunch in 2003,” Smith said. “We also had home delivery by appointment that came in at 350 meals. We plan for at least 1,000 meals each year, and this year, the crowd is even enjoying their meal picnic-style, outdoors.”
Scott Sato, one of the home delivery coordinators, said the numbers were slightly less than last year because the county’s Employee Council initiated outreach food delivery to areas like Salt Pond.
“This is my first time coming to this event,” said Stella Hew. “Both my daughters work, today so I don’t need to cook. My great grandchildren are singing with the Seventh-day Adventist group so this is perfect — I can come and listen to them.”
Ministers from the KIA member churches — All Saints’ Episcopal Church, St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, the Kapaa Hongwanji Mission, Kapaa Seventh-day Adventist Church, and the Kapa‘a United Church of Christ hosted an interfaith service attended by an overflow crowd at the All Saints’ church.
