Food and community

Sorry for my week-long silence!  We’re at one of those points in the year when it’s hard to make time for creative blogging.  And that makes it a perfect day to highlight two student initiatives, both of which provide community and personal nourishment.

The first is a lovely little offering from “the Yellow House” (the inhabitants of one of the houses on the perimeter of campus that is rented perennially by Fletcher students).  Starting last semester, the Yellow House folks have invited the community for weekly Hot Cocoa Fridays.  Warm drinks and friendship are served.  An especially relaxing way to close out the week.

And another meal-based activity comes from the Culinary Diplomacy Club.  Fletcher Feasts is a series of dinners offered and attended by students, faculty, and staff.  The club reports that over 280 people have participated as guests or hosts this year.  Hosts are invited to prepare a meal of their choice and to say how many others (between four and ten) they can accommodate.   The guests pay a modest fee to cover the costs of the hosts, and the small gatherings ensure conversation.  The fifth Fletcher Feast took place last week and another is already on the calendar for March.

Whether through an official organization or some folks’ generosity, student-led events such as these add so much to the community, ensuring connections among students who may not meet in the classroom or other more formal settings.  And in the case of Hot Cocoa Fridays or Fletcher Feasts, those who attend get a hot drink or a meal, too!