A widower who lost his wife a couple of years ago wants companionship.
A woman is in need of a free meal because she struggles to make ends meet.
A couple who don’t have loved ones living in the area want someone to talk to while enjoying a meal.
Whatever situation people find themselves in, that doesn’t matter when they enter the room.
The only thing that matters is they have an opportunity to interact with people whose goal is to make their day a little brighter with some food and a smile.
The inaugural Caring Hands Pitch-In starts at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 at Confetti — The Social Venue in Suite 214 at Shops at Seymour. It will end that night when the people stop coming or the food runs out.
“I’m hoping that not only do people leave with a meal, but maybe they leave with a friend, especially the people that need it,” said Chelsea Burrell, co-owner of Confetti with Megan Wince. “Not only do they need a meal, but they need to share the holiday with somebody. Nobody is going to know who’s here for what, and frankly, it’s none of anybody’s business who’s here for what.”
Burrell said she has been in need before, so she wants to ensure the event offers a welcoming environment.
“I’ve been in that position. I know it’s embarrassing. I know that you feel vulnerable when you walk into an event that is specifically for people that need things,” she said. “They kind of feel ashamed. Maybe not all of them, but some of them can feel that way, and I didn’t want it to feel that way. We want the people that do need it to come and not feel that we’re handing them something.”
The free meal, which falls a week before Thanksgiving, will feature turkey, ham, all of the trimmings and desserts.
All of the food will be provided by donors from the community. Burrell and Wince have had several people express interest in making different items, and they will continue to compile that list leading up to the event.
“We can always take more of everything because anything we don’t use, we’re going to take somewhere at the end of the night, whether it be Anchor House and take it to families that are there. It’s not going in our trash,” Burrell said.
“A couple of days before the event, maybe a week before the event, if we see there’s something major that we want that is missing, I’ll probably bring it,” Wince said. “We’re going to try to make it as round of a meal as possible.”
People also can volunteer to help serve food, sit and talk with attendees or clean up after the meal. Volunteers also could take leftover food to someone in need that they know.
“A lot of people want to help, but they don’t know how or they just can’t think of the right thing to do,” Burrell said. “We will find you a way to help if you want to help.”
Burrell and Wince hope to serve as many people as possible. They have shared information about the event on Confetti’s Facebook page and posted it on group pages.
They also shared information with churches, and they are going to contact local restaurants about donating food and possibly create fliers to drop off at schools so kids can take them home.
“I hope that we end up with more food than what we need because I want to make sure that everybody leaves full,” Burrell said. “Not only is it about a meal, but some of the best companionship or friendships are made through sharing food.”
The meal falls in line with the vision Burrell and Wince have for Confetti.
While people can rent a room there to celebrate various occasions, they also want to host community events on a regular basis.
“When we first started this whole thing, (Burrell’s) big passion was being able to have those birthday parties that are fancy-schmancy but not in the house,” Wince said. “My whole thing was I wanted an event a month for the community, and when that meshed, she brought up, ‘Hey, Thanksgiving is the ultimate opportunity.’”
Wince said an event like the pitch-in sums up the whole reason she was on board with starting Confetti.
“It’s a good reminder that we all live here, we’re all residents, we all wake up in the same town, we all go to sleep in the same town, we all work in the same town, we all go through daily struggles in the same town,” she said.
“We are a community that needs to come together, whether it be for any reason. That’s just huge to me,” she said. “I want my kids to grow up in a town that’s close, that feels close, and it’s up to us as citizens to make that happen.”
From the business structure to the pricing structure, Burrell said one of the biggest pieces of Confetti is inclusivity.
“Making sure that we are engaging the entire community or thinking of ways to make sure that we’re not leaving any stone unturned or not leaving anyone out, I think that we reflect that in our business,” she said. “I think that when you develop relationships in the community and you genuinely care, it’s priceless.”
While it’s not the reason they are doing the pitch-in, Burrell and Wince said the event will help promote their business.
As they are selling tickets to other upcoming events, they are letting people know about the pitch-in, too.
“Actually through that process, we’ve gained a few more people that have signed up to bring things (for the meal),” Burrell said.
They are hoping for a good turnout.
“I hope people who need it just truly come because it’s going to be so good,” Burrell said.
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What: Caring Hands Pitch-In
When: Starts at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 and will end when people stop coming or the food runs out
Where: Confetti — The Social Venue, 357 Tanger Blvd., Suite 214, Seymour, at Shops at Seymour
Cost: Free
How to help: Anyone interested in donating food for the event or volunteering that day may send a message via the Confetti — The Social Venue Facebook page or call 812-530-7377
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