It Takes a Neighborhood
March 2, 2009
It was almost twenty years ago that Gail Jara, who was living alone in Oakland, California, thought it would be a good idea to have a weekly potluck get together. She told a few friends to come to her house the first Wednesday of the month. No planning, no commitment beyond that.
The event is still held once a month, without planning or commitment, at Gail Jara’s house. Only now, anywhere from 15 to 40 people take part. It’s a combination of the immediate neighborhood, a few assorted friends, and neighborhood people who have moved away but couldn’t bear to leave First Wednesdays behind.
“I have a very large table,” says Jara, who is now 71. When she redid her kitchen, part of the project included making sure there would be room for a crowd.
Victoria Shoemaker moved into the neighborhood ten years ago. When her family was unpacking, a neighbor came by to invite them to dinner. It was First Wednesday.
“It’s wonderful,” Shoemaker says. “There’s everyone from newborns to 85-year-olds.” As to whether this is just the reflection of a close-knit neighborhood, or is something which has allwed the neighborhood to stay strong, it almost doesn’t matter. The easy-going nature of the event suits these folks very well.
Jara happily admits that, once or twice in 20 years, they have had to send out for pizza, but mostly things just work out: “Sometimes it’s all salads. We’ve had all pasta. That’s part of the charm.”
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
