Sunday night was an evening to honor those who really serve — the staff and volunteers of the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, also known as DESK.
For the tenth annual festivity, Archie Moore’s, Claire’s Corner Copia, Clark’s Dairy, The Graduate Club and Still Water American Bistro provided the soups, which were augmented by Chiabaso bread and desserts by Marjolaine, Julia’s Bakery, Common Ground School, Westville Bakery and Liz Cox. These donors are regular contributors to the soup kitchen fare. The wine, donated by Ben Kiernan, was specific to the fundraiser, and Farricelli’s brightened the Unitarian Society’s meeting space with lovely flowers. .For soup-slurping music, Eric Meridiano provided a delightful jazz trio (pictured).
The New Haven County Bar Association Public Service Committee members provided the servers. Gary Sklaver, head bartender and incoming president of the NHBA, was joined by colleagues Pat Kaplan (past president of the NHBA and exec of New Haven Legal Aid) and Erin Shaffer (New Haven Legal Aid staffer). (Sklaver is at left in the photo, next to Shaffer and Kaplan.)
Honorees Scott McLean (DESK board member) and the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church and the North Haven Congregational Church were toasted for their incredible ongoing service. Diana Richter, Ph.D., executive director, Jeanne Marie May, director of operations, and Kevin Johnson, the event coordinator, handed our the honors and updates.
The backgrounds of those supporting the event were as varied as those guests who are blessed to have DESK as a resource for their daily bread; together, they expressed thanks for the opportunity! This was, indeed, another great event for the “Greater Good”!