Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/414441
NOVEMBER 12-18, 2014 UCW 9 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM With the days getting shorter and the nights getting colder, when many of us leave work, we seek comfort in hot, spicy pasta. If you feel a little guilty about indulging in the carbohydrates, you can eat guilt free on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the World's Largest Spaghetti Dinner and Pastry Sale at the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Haymount. Why will dining there assuage your guilt? All the proceeds from the annual dinner are used to benefit the community through donations by the church to local charities. Much like the Greek Fest, the Spaghetti Dinner and Pastry Sale is an annual tradition that many in the community look forward to because the meal not only includes delicious spaghetti made from a top-secret recipe and fabulous homemade Greek pastries, but it's also fast and easy. Just come to the Hellenic Community Center and pick up a meal for the family and then once you are warm at home, you can indulge your taste buds. After more than half a century, the event runs like clockwork. It is easy to think that preparing the world's largest spaghetti dinner would be overwhelming, but the event organizers have this down to a science. They've been doing it for generations. "We've been doing this for 56 years now, "said John Bantsolas, president of the Parish Council of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. "The last few years we have sold about 11,000 spaghetti meals and quite a bit of Greek pastry that is homemade by the ladies in the community." Bantsolas added that when you walk into the room to pick up your spaghetti meal, you can walk across to the other side of the room to pick up some delicious Greek pastries. It is as much a tradition for the congregation as it is for the community. Families and volunteers come together, work hard and contribute to one of the community's most well-known fundraisers. It is a way to pass on the tradition of community service while spending time together as a church family. There have been four generations of local Greek families who started and continue this traditional community event, many of whom were restaurant owners and some of them are still restaurant owners. "We start preparing the Sunday evening before the event by folding the boxes and getting the packets ready," said Bantsolas. "Some of the youth come out to help us prepare and they come and assist the evening of the spaghetti sale." The congregation of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church has a reputation for its generosity to the community and it's vivacious and fun-filled events like the Greek Festival that takes place each September and welcomes the community to get a little taste of the magic that is the Greek culture. The proceeds of the event will be donated to help local charities at Christmas time and used for the church. While the Spaghetti Dinner runs smoothly each year, event organizers are always looking for ways to make it better. Future plans include having a drive-through area for meal pick-up. Meals can be picked up at 614 Oakridge Avenue in the Hellenic Community Center. The cost of the plate is $7. For more information call 484-8925. Indulge Yourself at the World's Largest Spaghetti Dinner BY DR. SHANESSA FENNER DR. SHANESSA FENNER, Principal WT Brown Elementary School, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. Indulge your taste buds guilt-free while benefitting the community at the World's Largest Spaghetti Dinner in Fayetteville. 910.484.2284 www.CapeFearEye.com Dr. J. Wayne Riggins, Dr. Sheel Patel, Dr. Raz Penmatcha Dr. Cynthia Toth, Dr. Lejla Vajzovic, Dr. Shelby Stephenson Dr. Edward Kenshock, Jr., Dr. John Krempecki, Dr. Duy Lam For Appointment call Introducing Raz Penmatcha, M.D. (Eye Physician & Surgeon) Cataract Surgery & Premium IOL Implants LenSx Laser (bladeless) Custom Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgery (iLASIK, PRK) Glaucoma Surgery Oculoplastic Surgery Medical Retina 1726 Metro Medical Drive / 1629 Owen Drive Fayetteville, NC 28304