BENTON, Ky. — Marcella’s Kitchen serves hundreds of meals each day, but the community kitchen takes extra care to celebrate the holidays. The facility’s annual Christmas dinner was held Dec. 20 and saw a plethora of people in attendance.
Marcella’s Kitchen was full on Dec. 20 as community members poured in for the annual Christmas Dinner.
In addition to the meals, Marcella’s offered bags of groceries, hats, gloves, and more to those who attended the Christmas dinner. The annual event means just as much to the volunteers as it does to those who receive the meals.
The kitchen takes donations of canned goods year round, but begins to prepare for the Christmas grocery bags around October. However, enough food must be prepared for the Christmas dinner that the kitchen volunteers begin preparing things that can be frozen around the beginning of December.
Those who attended the Christmas dinner also had the opportunity to take home a bag of groceries, a hat, and gloves.
The annual Christmas dinner began shortly after the kitchen was founded by Marcella Perkins in 2011. According to many volunteers, Perkins’ goal was always simply to provide a space for people in need to gather and find a hot meal.
“Some days you just work real hard to provide for the community, and Miss Marcella, that was what she wanted to do in the beginning,” said Collie. “She wanted to be able to help those that were in need, and it feels really good to be able to continue on her traditions of what she wanted, and it’s a blessing.”
Marcella’s will also receive half of all canned goods donated at Mike Miller Park’s Christmas In The Park light show, with the other half going to Marshall County Caring Needline. Both organizations will also receive an even portion of the monetary donations alongside the other involved nonprofits.
Donations can be made to Marcella’s Kitchen at any time.
Grace Boatright Jachim is a reporter for the Marshall County Tribune Courier. Visit tribunecourier.com to read the full article.