Celebrate 11 years of the Downeast Table of Plenty
Sunday, October 10 — 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm
Maine Seacoast Downeast Campus, Cherryfield
Please join us. We will honor this special day with a delicious dinner, homemade cake, music, and friends.
This will be the last Downeast Table of Plenty of 2021.
We will reopen again in the spring, 2022.
Learn more about our Downeast Table of Plenty community suppers.
Photos and Story by Jillian
CHERRYFIELD, ME – Oh boy, what a fresh, delectable meal we had Sunday at our beloved Downeast Table of Plenty. Zabet, Morgan and Matt fed us in style. The supper had Latin leanings. Everyone raved about it while eating.
Most of the produce was donated from Folklore Farm and their personal gardens.
I learned about two delicious Mexican culinary herbs used in dishes served: papalo and pipicha. Papalo tastes a bit like cilantro and Pipicha tastes akin to fresh coriander with overtones of lemon and anise.
After readying the dining room, Loraine and I ran to The Incredible Edible garden to pick up cilantro for the supper. If you have yet to visit this “If it’s ripe, pick it” community garden in Milbridge, you are missing out.
Mark entertaining us thru open doors while we dined outside. Tessa who is often a big kitchen help, likes to play piano while we clean up after the meal. Dish angels last week were Aaron, David, Steve and Matt.
In 2019 the Mission introduced a new College Exploration and Engagement Program (CEE) for Sumner and Narraguagus junior and senior high school students centered on college preparation, persistence, and completion. Christina Griffith, the Mission Director of Davis Maine Scholarship, sent this report on the CEE group’s first in-person gathering in twelve months.
“For the first time since March 2020, fifteen Sumner and Narraguagus junior and senior high school students in our college exploration and engagement program gathered at Weald Bethel Community Center for a mini retreat.
“As part of the afternoon, students did some reflective writing and created nature art pieces based on prompts that centered on “I am someone who…” and “I am from….” Here are a few glimpses of what the students created.”
Learn more about the Mission’s College Exploration and Engagement Program.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — On July 30, Downeast Campus Facilities Manager Scott Shaw wrote, “We just hosted the overnight Island Fellows Retreat at the Weald Bethel Community Center! It feels great to have the building in use again and the group thoroughly enjoyed their stay,” said Scott.
According to the Island Institute, “The Island Institute’s Island Fellows Program is one of the signature programs of the Island Institute. Fellowships provide opportunity for recent graduates to apply their skills and gain experience helping to build sustainability within communities whose way of life and identity face many challenges.”
“The Fellows were treated to a team building and ropes course element thanks to Isaac Marnik and the group also helped clean up some of our trail system while here,” said Scott Shaw.
Learn more about the Weald Bethel Community Center activities.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Program Manager Dakin Hewlett and Program Coordinator Briana West shared this update about the Mission’s EdGE Journey six-year youth mentoring program. EdGE Journey, launched in 2017, is made possible by the Emanuel and Pauline A. Lerner Foundation and its mentoring-based initiative, Aspirations Incubator:
This past weekend, due to the pandemic, EdGE Journey students in Cohort 3 met as a group for the first time since they were selected into the program. The Narraguagus Jr/Sr High School soon-to-be 9th grade students eagerly awaited the opportunity to campout overnight at the Mission’s Weald Bethel Community Center in Cherryfield, and begin building stronger connections with their peers and Journey staff.
They kicked off the weekend by helping Mission staff unload 17,000 pounds of food for the food pantry. Later, the students supported each other during ropes course challenges, discussed their hopes and goals for the upcoming high school transition, shared laughs while swimming at Spring River, and enjoyed s’mores by the campfire.
The trip ended with the Cohort cooking an entire meal for a crowd of community members attending the Downeast Table of Plenty on Sunday evenings.
The Mission Journey staff would like to recognize the dedication, grit, and resiliency these youth leaders have shown over the past year. They look forward to more opportunities for exploration and the continued journey ahead!
Learn more about the EdGE Journey program by contacting Dakin Hewlett at [email protected]
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Table of Plenty is once again finding its groove after a 15 month hiatus. Savannah and Corrie hosted this week and made making enchiladas for a crowd look easy. People are enjoying the picnic tables outside in the shade. We are relishing the opportunity to break bread together once again.
Savannah’s daughter Ocean is often a help and made us the love note after the meal at home that night. Makes me smile.