Today, Feast Of Sharing Helped a Lot of Hungry People Eat at Fair Park

By Scott Reitz Thu., Nov. 10 2011 at 6:16 PM

Early this morning, volunteers started streaming into Fair Park to prep for Central Market's Feast of Sharing, an annual event to help people in need. The grocery store has sponsored the Dallas version of this event for the the last five years. By 1 p.m., a line had formed both inside and out the building, and just before 2 people began filing into seats as food runners dropped off plates of turkey, stuffing and other trimmings, and soda, water and milk.

In under an hour, the 1,320 seats set up in the Centennial Building were nearly at capacity, and the sounds of a marching band an Gospel choir flowed from the main stage while the line out front continued to swell.

Alex Herrera helped keep the food coming. He arrived at Fair Park at 9 a.m. and helped cook in the massive food service truck parked just outside the building. Herrera is a truck driver for HEB, but he jumps at the chance to volunteer and help those in need. This summer, he parked the same truck in Bastrop and Magnolia, helping feed victims ravaged by this summer's wildfires.

Thousands of volunteers supplemented the HEB/Central Market employees. Hockaday and Saint Mark's sent 50 students each to help clean tables. Students from Duncanville High school worked a children's station with toys, face paints and crafts. United Way dispatched volunteers to help plate pies, and other companies and organizations chipped in as well.

Kathleen DeForest was on hand to help, too. Normally she works with Central Market in art development, but she too the day off to work as the Line Captain. DeForest coordinated with the food runners and platers, monitoring the rate at which food left the staging area. The result was a food-dispensing machine that was expected to feed more than 10,000 people today. While the event is scheduled to stop at 7 p.m., Deforest told me they work until everyone who has waited is fed.

While they waited, bands, choirs and other performers kept the hungry entertained, but while I was there I don't think I saw a single person wait more than a few minutes for food once they had been seated.

During a time of the year when most of us are debating whether we should stuff our heritage turkeys with oyster or sausage stuffing or both, it's refreshing to see so many people come together for the purpose of feeding those in greater need. Check out more pictures from Feast of Sharing below.

The HEB truck parked out back provides food for events like Feast of Sharing in addition to disaster relief.

Commercial sized braisers cook 600-800 servings of stuffing, potatoes and vegetables, according to the team

Four convection ovens heat up 1600 servings of sliced turkey breast at a time

Outside, a line began to form, well before the scheduled 2:00 p.m. start time

Inside, 1320 seats wait to host hungry guests

Kathleen DeForest monitors four plating lines to control the flow of food to the tables

Platers be platin'

Finished plates are placed in crates to facilitate transport to the tables

Roy Vinson took a day off from CA Technologies to join the hundreds of food runners

Audra and Maria DeBrine ran drinks

In less than an hour, the tables were nearly full and the line outside kept growing

Thankgiving couldn't exist without 12,000 slices of pumpkin pie

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El Kabong !!!!

I used to work with Kathleen Deforest and its a fact she is always getting people fired and causing problems for her fellow employees. By the look on her face its seems like about 200 people there were indirectly disenfranchised because of her. The problem is self centered egotistical people like her always feel there are above everyone else and they expect you to treat them that way too but don't return the favor. It is so hypocritical of her to be in that position being the me monster that she is. Unfortunatley that is the problem with our society today people think volunteering is a one time thing and it will get fixed when all they really have to do is respect people and get along from the beginning and not be so combative and competitive with everyone and make their own opinions about people. I just hope she stopped being the way she was and realize that her actions affect other peoples lives and welfare and by the look on her face I hope she did. If I was there and in that situation I would probably feel very nasty.

crj

Someone forgot to notice Santa Claus and take his photo. Maybe next year you'll see him bringing joy to kids in need.

G_David

After slinging mashed potatoes for 4 hours straight, my arm is really feeling it this morning. It was a blast as always, and one of my favorites events of the year.