EVERETT — It’s been a dozen years since Shirley Morrow and others at First Presbyterian Church started the meal program they call Dinner at the Bell.
More than 120 people, most of them homeless, come to the Everett church every Wednesday for dinners prepared and served by teams of volunteers.
“When we started, we were going to do it once a month. That first night we had 37 people,” Morrow said Friday.
About a third of the program’s volunteers now come from outside the First Presbyterian congregation, she said. Helpers include Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, students doing community-service projects and people from other churches.
Dinner at the Bell will soon get a boost from a concert presented by Breath of Aire, a choral group of nearly 100 singers. The performance, starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 4 in the church, is free and open to the public, but a free-will offering will be taken to support the dinner program.
“They are a great singing group,” said Tony Tysseling, who with his wife, Lois, is helping organize the show. The concert will include Broadway and contemporary tunes along with inspirational music.
Tysseling said Breath of Aire members come from all over Washington. The singers will rehearse at the Everett church the day of the show and have dinner there before performing. Formed in 1999, Breath of Aire is based in Kent and conducted by J. Bayard DuBois. The chorus has grown from about 20 members who sang at small venues and church services to a chorus nearly 100 strong that performs to help many nonprofit organizations.
Morrow hopes the community turns out to hear those voices and support Dinner at the Bell. Dinner team leaders have all been involved from the start, and dozens of others now help. Frank Fargo brings his mobile shower trailer to the dinners, and cake-baking volunteers provide sweet treats for every third dinner.
“It’s important,” Morrow said.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.
Breath of Aire
Breath of Aire will present a choral concert of contemporary, Broadway and inspirational music at 6 p.m. Oct. 4 at Everett’s First Presbyterian Church, 2936 Rockefeller Ave. Free, but donations will benefit Dinner at the Bell, the church’s Wednesday-night meals for homeless people.
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