Love INC dining fundraiser about more than just food
Love In the Name of Christ volunteer Lyle Reusser greets patrons during Love INC’s recent dinner fundraiser at Farmstead Restaurant in Berlin. The evening was about food, fellowship and the volunteer crew sharing Love INC’s mission with visitors.
Sometimes it’s just fine to be a little blue.
Being blue on the evening of the Love In the Name of Christ fundraiser meal meant you were part of the volunteer team of people who were serving, greeting and sharing with visitors at Farmstead Restaurant in Berlin, where volunteers all donned bright-blue shirts to set themselves apart.
The evening served as one of the organization’s biggest fundraising events, and the restaurant was packed with diners ready to fill themselves with food while supporting a service organization that continues to touch the lives of families throughout Holmes County.
“This is so important, not only because it serves as a fundraiser, but because it gives us the opportunity to share our vision and all of the exciting programs we offer with people, many of whom may not realize everything we offer the county and its people,” Debbi Miller of Love INC said. “People learn about how our organization works because we do have big variety of programs that benefit area families in ways that many people may not realize.”
Miller, who served as one of the greeters for the event, said the evening saw the staff and volunteers reconnecting with old friends who have supported the organization from those early days when it was just a glint of an idea in the eyes of Director Vicki Conn and others who brought Love INC to life, as well as seeing new faces of people ready to learn more about what Love INC provides.
In addition, she said it was touching to see many of the families they have helped support over the past decade come in and eat and donate.
“This is the true meaning of a community event because it does bring people together in a great way,” Miller said.
While Love INC has been around for nearly a decade, Miller said many people still don’t have an inkling as to what the organization provides. Thus, this event isn’t all about food, but also about sharing the vision of Love INC.
“We continue to share our vision at every turn, and people continue to learn every day what we’re all about,” Miller said. “When good conversations can happen over a meal like this and people can ask questions, that is when we truly grow in our mission to reach the entirety of Holmes County and its people, whether we are serving them through our programs or they become personally involved as individuals or through their respective churches and join our team in supporting and lifting up our Love INC families.”
She said one diner asked her about how she could help and what that process would look like.
“We’re here to help people navigate those types of questions like how can we help when we don’t know how to help,” Miller said. “It’s a joy to help someone navigate through those questions and what helping others might look like because we have so many different ways people can use their gifts to help our mission of serving others in Holmes County.”
The evening also serves as a way for Love INC members to share thanks to many of the people who have shown their support over the years.
Love INC continues to thrive on the message that Holmes County is better when everyone works together, placing an emphasis on partnering with area churches and programs like Homes of Hope providing low-income housing, Fresh Start classes built around budgeting finances, Gap Ministries designed to meet the needs of area families, the Furniture Ministry providing quality furniture for families, and Wheels of Love, where volunteers drive community members who need a lift to appointments, shopping trips and more.
All of these programs are designed with sharing the love of God through each step of the ministry.
With food and conversation coupled with the vision and mission of an organization designed to help others in need, Miller said the fundraising night was a win-win for everyone.
To learn more about Love INC, visit them on Facebook or at www.loveincofghc.org.