ST. PAUL – It has been several years since Portage College began hosting its annual spaghetti supper. This year, about 100 members of the community attended the event on Nov. 6 to enjoy the buffet, while also supporting a good cause.
Colleen Neily, a culinary arts instructor at Portage College, said proceeds from the supper’s $10 ticket sales will go to the St. Paul f& District Food Bank.
“It is completely run and operated by our culinary arts program, specifically our first-year culinary arts students,” explained Neily.
The aim of the fundraiser is to give back to the community, she said. “We just have incredible community backing and following . . . So, we also like to give back.”
The spaghetti supper is also a unique experience for the first-year culinary students who have only been working in the kitchen for two months.
To see so many people show up once again is just “phenomenal,” said Neily.
“People always talk about St. Paul being a supporting community, and you can see it here,” she said, gesturing to the tables filled with people. “It’s incredible – their continual support.”
Heather Lemky is a second-year culinary student. The second-year students were on hand, helping out the first-year students with the different aspects of the dinner.
Lemky expressed her thanks to all those who came out on behalf of the students.
“I’ve been literally going around to everybody and thanking them, even the little kids,” she said.
“Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for coming out, supporting the food bank . . . the college . . . and us students,” Lemky said.
The culinary world is challenging, so any practical experience that students could receive will help students in their journey, she noted.
“But the biggest thing is helping out the food bank . . . Like some don’t realize how many hundreds of people our little bank helps each year – if not thousands of people,” said Lemky. “It’s awesome that we get to help them.”