By Kathy Swaller, Volunteer/Board Member
Isaiah 58 Ministries hosted its 2nd Annual Isaiah 58 Ministries Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 17th. More than 150 folks enjoyed an afternoon of food, entertainment, education, and other activities.
People savored an abundance of delicious food including smoked meat, side dishes from Diner’s Delight, and ice cream from Fire and Ice/Serendipity Ice Cream Truck. Thank you to Jeff Buck who smoked a bounty of brisket and pork for the event.
Several organizations staffed resource tables. Affinia Health, SLU Hospital Women’s Health, the University of Missouri Extension, Saint Louis Public Library, and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri were all present and available to guests.
Members of our Advocacy team were also on site. They encouraged individuals to register to vote and sign an “increase minimum wage” petition.
The community was entertained by storyteller extraordinaire, Bobby Norfolk, who recounted the history of Juneteenth. His energy and passion were evident in his originial story. The air was also filled with the uplifting sounds of Combined Voices choir as they shared their joyful praises and impactful poetry readings. Their music drew many from their seats to dance in celebration. Thank you to Lawrence Johnson who also shared poetry.
Especially popular for our guests was the block printing booth. Norman Spencer, owner of CloudHotelPrints, created inspiring, wearable artwork through his block printing process.
Also busy was our face painting artist, Mary O’Brien. Throughout the day she decorated the faces of children and adults alike with a variety nature-inspired artwork.
Participants also enjoyed a variety of other crafts and games throughout the day.
We are especially grateful to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Mid-America, whose generous grant through the Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation team helped underwrite the event.
AND…
To the many volunteers and guests who shared their time serving the community and helping make this such a wonderful and memorable event!