Reflections From Food: Our Common Connection

Food is love, and is a key part of creating any community. This was especially clear at the Rolling Bluegrass first ever grassroots food fair! Over 50 people came out to our Food: Our Common Connection

Our chapter came to the idea by wanting to discuss issues of food insecurity, and access to healthy food. Along the way we were able to build stronger community and improve our chapter’s organizing skills through team work. All this while learning about food insecurity and healthy eating!

Despite predicted stormy weather, the day ended up being fairly mild, with rain only spitting intermittently. Folks in the community could tell that something exciting was going on at Ed Davis Park by the big colorful “cruising café” school bus. The ‘cruising café’ is a ‘meals on wheels’ service provided by Scott County Schools to help address summer break food insecurity with children.

Members brought and shared a lot of great healthy homemade food, a silent auction of food items, and cookbooks. We even had drawings for free food for folks who joined us! Local artist Rosemary Wimpling masterfully lead a food printing workshop. This was engaging for kids of all ages! 

The event also featured wonderful resources like the NAACP, Community Farm Alliance, LexVeg, local health departments, and more!  May of the resources were represented by our 10 wonderful speakers. From the Amen House, God’s Pantry, also shared the important work they provide in fighting hunger in our communities. 

To liven things up, we also had music from local 9-piece ukulele band, The Hot Cookies of the Bluegrass. They lead us in sing-alongs, and entertained with some great songs with food themes! 

Candidates for Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture also came by, including Democratic candidate Robert Hayley Conway, and incumbent Republican, Ryan Quarles. Both are from Scott County. Unfortunately, Joshua Gilpin, the Libertarian candidate, could not be in attendance. Attendees were excited to learn more about the candidates, and are looking forward to seeing all three candidates’ response in our voter guide! 

We were incredibly thankful to have Colmon Elridge be our Master of Ceremonies. Colmon is a member of the God’s Pantry Board of Directors, and kept things moving. Everyone left with a commitment to do this event again next summer, with several attendees volunteering to be a part of the planning committee!