While there may be no such thing as a free lunch, every Wednesday in Sheridan there really is a free dinner.
At 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, you can come enjoy a meal prepared and served by local kids at Sheridan CrossRoads Student Center, 305 S. Main St. It is an opportunity for you to enjoy not only the meal, the knowledge that just by showing up you are helping local youth find positive ways to spend their time and give back to their community.
According to Pastor Chris Brooks, CrossRoads café was created for three purposes.
- To serve the community.
- To help recreate the idea of community. “The fellowship that comes with people eating together is priceless,” Brooks said. “I’m hoping to bring back the old-school neighborhood that looks out for each other and helps each other.”
- To provide opportunities for young people to invest in themselves and their hometown.
“Our café provides a wonderful opportunity for our students,” Brooks told The Reporter. “The kitchen is completely run by students under our teen head-chef Robert Bowen, who aspires to one day run his own restaurant. Our café teaches students how to cook, clean and create meals. All these skills teach responsibility as well valuable job skills for the future.”
One thing that sets CrossRoads apart is the fact that is it truly free to anyone in the community, young or old.
“Most community dinners are self-serve walk through lines and ask for a ‘free will’ offering,” Brooks said. “There is nothing wrong with that. But is has been my experience people feel burdened when free will donation is attached to the invitation. One of our biggest goals at crossroads to not fall into the ‘traditional’ model that has been failing for years.”
CrossRoads also sets itself apart by treating anyone who comes to the Wednesday café like a guest.
“Our guests come in and sit down like they would at any commercial restaurant,” Brooks explained. “Our students take their orders and serve them as well as offering free refills on food and drink. Prayer over the table is always offered by our student servers. In a world that seems to focus on lazy kids, ours have proven just the opposite. They are so eager to be involved. Not only do our students run the café. But they do so many other service projects for our community from lawn work to moving furniture for people who need help.”
You can come to CrossRoads every Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. to show these local kids you appreciate all they do.