LUDLOW, Vt. – “The generosity of the community was way beyond our expectations,” said George Thomson in his enthusiastic summary of the results of the recent lasagna dinner. The dinner was jointly sponsored by the United Church of Ludlow and the Ludlow Rotary Club.
The dinner raised over $12,000 for Ukrainian humanitarian relief and served over 250 meals. The amount is also set to increase by additional donations.
This collaborative effort also saw the participation of a number of area organizations and individuals, including:
- The Okemo Valley Woman’s Club, which made desserts.
- Black River Produce, which provided all the salad fixings.
- The Reading Greenhouse, which provided sunflowers for arrangements.
- People’s United Bank, which provided coffee supplies.
- Vermont Family Farms, which provided the hamburger.
- River Valley Technical Center Culinary Arts Program, which provided fresh baked bread.
- Cavendish Town Elementary School students as part of the Young Historians Program, sponsored by the Cavendish Historical Society, which provided sunflower seed packets, decorated and filled with seeds.
- Thirty workers from the Church, Rotary, and Woman’s Club who served the meals.
Thomason noted that 70% of those attending the dinner paid well above the required price.
Linda Thomson, who handled the preparation and serving of the dinners, said, “Thanks everyone who made this such a success. It was heartwarming for sure to see all the support and energy over this dinner for Ukraine. The suffering folks of the Ukraine would thank everyone too for their support and kindness.”
The proceeds from the fundraising dinner will be sent to an Eastern European relief organization providing relief to the Ukraine. Additional donations may be sent to the Ludlow Rotary Club’s charitable foundation, LARCF, P.O. Box 216, Ludlow, VT 05149.