The first Sunday of each month, Adas Yoshuron Synagogue of Rockland sponsors the Fishes and Loaves Soup Kitchen at St. Peter's Church in Rockland. When Easter and Christmas roll around, we host the Community Dinners. This Christmas was our 25th year preparing, cooking, and serving this dinner.

The pièce de résistance begins with donated turkeys from John Barnstein of Mainely Poultry. I have been coordinating these meals for a minimum of 12 years and John has gladly helped us each year. This year he generously gave us eight 20+ pound turkeys (two more than usual)! Kerry Altiero of Cafe Miranda for years has donated food for the meals but the last few years has assisted in the kitchen, cooking, breaking down turkeys, organizing volunteers, and overall helping me with the meal, allowing it to run smoothly.

With the main ingredient secured and an amazing chef at my side, I begin contacting area businesses and restaurants to complete the meal. Without their support and magnanimity, our holiday meals would not be as successful.

I'd like to thank (in alphabetical order): Atlantic Baking Company (ABC), Allen Agency, Boynton McKay, Brown Bag, Camden Hills Dental Care, Camden National Bank, Cappy's, David Theriault DDS, Dilly Dally Farm, Dot's, Ducktrap River of Maine, French and Brawn, Fog Bar and Cafe, Glen Cove Dental Associates, Green Thumb, Graffam Bros. Seafood Market,

Hampton Inn and Suites, Hannaford Supermarket, Highland Cafe, Home Kitchen, In Good Company, Laura Cabot Catering, Long Grain Restaurant, Maine Street Meats, Mainely Poultry, Market Basket,

Planet Toys, Plants Unlimited, Rockland Food Service, Samoset Resort on the Ocean, Rock City, Shaw's Supermarket, Sherman's Book and Stationery Store, State of Maine Cheese, Sweet Sensations, TD Bank, Waterfront Restaurant, Waterworks Restaurant, and Zanca Orthodontics.

Additionally I'd like to also thank the many amazing volunteers who tirelessly came to help. Without their help and dedication, our guests would not have been cared for and served as well.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Here's to a happy and healthy 2015.

If you'd like to help at a meal we host (the first Sunday of each month, Easter and/or Christmas Community Dinner), please contact Adas Yoshuron Synagogue at 207-594-4523 or email info@adasyoshuron.org.

Many thanks!

Lisa Breheny Soup Kitchen/Community Dinner Coordinator

Adas Yoshuron Synagogue

Rockland, Maine