I posted this event about a month in advance, not realizing the date fell on May 5th, Cinco de Mayo.  Soon afterward, I received a text from Mike Bisaga suggesting that we change the menu to reflect the Mexican holiday.  Mike and I considered several recipes and options before deciding on: Mexican meatloaf, seasoned black beans, street corn, and churro bites.

Never heard of Mexican meatloaf?  In Spanish, it’s called pastel de carne.  It may not be one of the most famous Mexican dishes, but it sure was good.  Did you know that Cinco de Mayo is actually celebrated more widely in the United States than in Mexico? Americans are always looking for a reason to celebrate. 

The House was at full occupancy, so we planned to serve 40 people that evening.  In the end, 15 pounds of ground beef and chorizo were transformed into eight large meatloaves, enough to get the job done.

We had a larger-than-normal volunteer group, and everyone found a way to pitch in. Our volunteers included Mike (“El Miguel”) Bisaga, Lorenzo Squellati, John Steuterman, Bob Born, Larry Mangels, Steve Baker, Harold Bates, Doug Smedley, and first-timer Mike Dwyer. We also had a surprise visit from Chris Beahm, our social media lead, who stopped by to take photos and videos and spend some time with the group.

The food turned out great, and we had a nice turnout. Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal.  The families staying at the House are there while their children receive treatment. We hope that by providing a good meal and a few smiles, we can make their day a little easier.

After serving the residents, our volunteers sat down together to enjoy dinner. The only task left was cleanup, which went quickly thanks to our large group.

Watch for our next event in August.