Friendship Kitchen will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Saturday, July 8 at Eufaula’s First United Methodist Church, 251 Matthews Lane.

Joining in the celebration will be the Executive Board of God’s Helping Hands, who will be hosting, cooking and serving the noon meal.

“If you are able to attend, please do so,” said Margaret Kramer, Director of Friendship Kitchen.

Serving begins at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m., as it has done since the humanitarian project began in June 2013, the idea of former Methodist church members Kathleen and David Shannon, who moved out of the state several years ago.

But their idea gave birth to a weekly event that has lasted 10 years and has fed thousands of people.

There have been a few changes since its inception.

For one the church was on Main Street downtown 10 years ago. Now it’s at a new building on Matthews Lane on the north end of town.

Initially, Friendship Kitchen was created as a place for everyone – whether they were hungry for food or hungry for friendship – could gather and eat while interacting with one another.

COVID-19 changed that.

“But it never stopped us,” Kramer said.

Instead of meeting at the church, folks drove up to the building and volunteers brought them a meal.

This went on until June, 2022.

Now that people are able to meet in groups once again, Friendship Kitchen invites everyone to come inside and have a bite to eat.

But, to-go bag lunches are still available for those who prefer them.

Kramer said they feed about 60 people on an average Saturday, half eating in and half taking advantage of the drive-thru.

Crowds are a little bit smaller than they used to be, but the faithful continue to come.

A recent meal included a pulled pork sandwich, chips, fruit salad, cake or cookies with ice cream and tea, coffee or lemonade.

The meals, prepared by a rotating list of volunteers from churches and other groups, changes from week to week.

Among the groups providing volunteer cooks and servers are the United Methodist Church, Wayland Baptist Church, VFW Auxiliary and the philanthropic organization Epsilon Sigma Alpha Beta Iota.

“We are always looking for volunteers. The more the merrier,“ Kramer said.

The Lutheran and Trinity Episcopal churches aid financially, making donations each month.

Food mostly comes from the Eastern Oklahoma Food Bank, with churches subsidizing the menus.

They buy food themselves if there isn’t enough.

Kramer, who has been director for five years, isn’t sure what the folks from God’s Helping Hands will cook up.

“Maybe Sloppy Joes or something like that,” she said.

For sure there will be a birthday cake.