Friday, January 16, 2009

Soup kitchen for Ketchum?

Meals to be served to hungry

---

By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Volunteers prepare to serve up dinners at the first Ketchum Community Dinner. From left, Beth Grinstead, Kathy Miner and Donna Doan. Photo by David N. Seelig

The crowd was light, but grateful.

On Wednesday, the new Ketchum Community Dinners began with a tasty meal served free to any takers at the Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood in Ketchum. Organized by church member Michael Hobbs, the dinners will be offered every Wednesday at the church from 6-7 p.m. except for Feb. 11 when the space will be used to feed the Special Olympics athletes.

"Since the economic collapse a few months ago we have seen an increase in people in the Wood River Valley that are in need of an extra hand," said Hobbs, a software developer. "The Ketchum Community Dinners was created in an effort to help with this need. I went to Pastor Bob Henley and suggested doing it."

Though the crowd on Wednesday was not what Hobbs had expected, several families partook of the dinner. The spacious gym/cafeteria at church meant that while the adults ate and chatted their children had room to play a little and blow off steam.

buy viagra buy viagra usa buy viagra online

One boy said he and his family, who are from Hailey, eat also at the Souper Supper, held every Monday and Thursday at the St. Charles Parish Hall in Hailey.

Ketchum Community Dinners are being held in association with the Souper Suppers, the Idaho Food Bank, South Central Community Action Partnership and the Hunger Collation, as an alternative in the north valley.

For more information call Hobbs at 720-8212.