Community members fill their plates with food in the Trinity Episcopal Church parish hall on April 10. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — For the second year-in-a-row, Shepherd University Dining Services worked together with the Shepherdstown Shares Food Pantry to hold a community dinner in honor of Aramark Building Community Day (ABC Day) on April 10.

ABC Day is an annual day of service held by Aramark, Shepherd University’s food provider. The company’s employees are encouraged to volunteer a few hours on that day every year, with a local nonprofit. At some Aramark locations, their employees have helped prepare community gardens for the growing season, refurbished playgrounds or held a backpack donation drive. But at Shepherd University, Food Service Director Katy Mong-Waldeck said her love for the Shepherdstown community and appreciation for the work of the Shepherdstown Shares Food Pantry has inspired her to hold a dinner each year for food pantry clients, donors and everyone else.

“We have the opportunity to give back in a meaningful way, on this day,” Mong-Waldeck said. “It’s nice to be able to partner with the organization of Shepherdstown Shares, since it does so much for our community.

“It’s something I’m passionate about,” Mong-Waldeck said. “I live in Shepherdstown. I graduated from the university.”

To fund the “Cookout at the Pantry” dinner, Mong-Waldeck had to apply for a grant from Aramark. A portion of the funds from that grant were reserved for two other initiatives connected with Shepherdstown Shares.

The Trinity Episcopal Church parish hall was filled with community members from all walks of life, enjoying food together during Cookout at the Pantry on April 10. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

“With the funds from that grant, we were able to provide this dinner for the community and empowerment packs for the Social Seniors Prom Night coming up, so that the seniors will have goody bags,” Mong-Waldeck said of the prom, which will be held in the War Memorial Building on April 27. “We will also be doing a donation drive, to fill up the pantry shelves.”

Aramark collegiate hospitality executive director Paul Mack attended Cookout at the Pantry this year. For him, the event was a clear success.

“Katy is very passionate about the community and campus here in Shepherdstown. You can easily see that here,” Mack said. “It’s a great event.”

The Cookout at the Pantry featured a meal of hotdogs with all of the fixings, pasta salad, chips, lemonade and water. Shepherdstown Shares board member John Meeker, who came up with the concept for this year’s dinner and organized it with Mong-Waldeck, said desserts for the meal were provided by community members and Alma Bea restaurant.

“Last year, we partnered together with Aramark to hold The People’s Bowl in the War Memorial Building. But this year, we wanted to do an event here, so that it could serve as an open house,” Meeker said, mentioning that he hoped it would lead to many people taking a tour of the food pantry. “I hope it will expand our outreach and encourage more people to get involved.”

The Lifelong Learning guitar group performs folk songs for the Cookout at the Pantry in the Trinity Episcopal Church parish hall on April 10. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

He noted that he was pleased with the event turnout, especially given that its location had to be changed from the Trinity Episcopal Church lawn to the parish hall.

“For what looked like a rainy day washout, this looks like a good crowd,” Meeker said, noting that every table was filled in the parish hall.

The dinner was further enhanced, he said, by the performance of folk tunes by the Lifelong Learning Guitar Interest Group, led by Shepherdstown resident Marty Amerikaner.

“We want to provide some dinner music to entertain everyone tonight,” Amerikaner said.