Kudos to the fabulous staff of the Family Practice Center of Salem who gave us the opportunity to participate in The Banquet in Salem which has been around for almost 10 years in the community and continues to serve hundreds of area residents with good food and good company.
There is a great description of The Banquet in this October 15, 2013 article from The Salem News. "Anyone wanting to stop in and have a good meal is welcome. There are no stipulations based on need or anything of that sort. It is void of any shame factors. It is not a stereotypical soup line replete with accompanying aspersions - however wrong - cast on those participating. It is akin to a social event, often removing loneliness out of the day for many. For some, it is even their day's highlight."
I've participated in The Banquet on a couple of other occasions, and I very much agree with this description. Not only is it a social event where some families and friends gather, but I have never seen people be more appreciative of the work that is done here and the food that is served. We saw patients from our practice there. Some saw friends there. And, the article is right, there are no shame factors at The Banquet.
Finally, this was a great way for the office to gather is a non-office setting, and still work as a team. The grind of day-to-day work, in whatever industry you are in, can really get to you sometimes. Yes, party settings like the Christmas party are fun times to get together with your co-workers. But, there is nothing like being in a situation to give back to your community with the team that you work with day in and day out. Kudos again to our great staff for giving me the opportunity to "Pay It Forward" to our Salem, Ohio community! Enjoy the pics below...
