By JOYCE Rothermel

Meeting our annual budget every year is a great challenge for the Thomas Merton Center. Highly dependent on donations from members, we were ecstatic when we were approached by TMC member and past board member/ treasurer, Howard Aikens with a wonderful fundraising idea.

Howard is a great vegetarian chef! Some of you may have had the opportunity to experience Howard’s cooking over the years. Howard has graciously offered to host a recurring dinner with a guest of honor selected by TMC members and friends. “Dinners with_______.” We can select people to fill in the blank. A chef-prepared meal with conversation, recalls the film “Dinner With Andre.” TMC members and friends are invited to think of a local person with whom they would like to share a meal and conversation, perhaps someone who has been active on an issue, or has written on a topic of interest, and pass on the suggestion to me or to the Center. It is also an opportunity to meet other members and friends of the Merton Center. In these tumultuous times, being with those of similar spirits is not just a good idea; it’s a necessity.

Those who would like to attend will be asked to donate $75 or more to the Merton Center. Howard and Christine will prepare and serve the dinner in their Point Breeze home, and donate the food and all the work of preparing it. They will serve ten people, including Howard, Christine, the guest, and seven others.

The first dinner was held in September: Dinner with Rosemary Trump. It was a great success. The meal was delicious; attendees enjoyed being with Rosemary and each other; and $575 was raised for TMC. A second dinner will be served and enjoyed with Wali Jamal by the time this issue of the NewPeople is out in November. Rosemary Trump has offered to be our wine pairer for the upcoming dinners, and will cover the cost of the wine.

The next dinner will be in December. Watch the TMC eblasts or call the Center to find out who the Dinner will be with and the date. Is there someone you would like to have dinner with? Suggestions are most welcome. Just email me with your ideas and/or interest at rothermeljoyce@gmail.com We are grateful to Howard, Christine and Rosemary for their generous and sustaining gifts to the TMC! Your participation will ensure their ongoing success!

Joyce Rothermel chairs the Cornerstone Sustainer Committee of the Thomas Merton Center. (The Cornerstone Sustainer Committee are the organizers of the dinners.)

(TMC newspaper VOL. 48 No. 9 November 2018. All rights reserved)