Praise the Lord for the success of Sunday night’s benefit dinner. 65 guests came out and celebrated all of the work that God has done in the life of the ministry over the past 8 years. The food at the Grand Concourse was terrific, and Mike and Katy Gallo were both tremendously blessed by the reception and gifts that were passed their way.

The event started at 5:00 PM on Sunday night, August 8th. As guests arrived, they were greeted and sat at different tables. Because of how the Grand Concourse ballroom is set up, we did not think it wise to have just a main speaker on the podium. Instead, at each of the 11 tables, there was a table speaker who was in charge of sharing about the history of the ministry. These people ranged from staff to volunteers to board members.

As the salad were served, the table speakers engaged their tables in dicussions on the ministry. After that, the main entree was served which consisted of seasonal vegetables, mashed potatoes, and lemon chicken. The meal was delicious!

After the meal, Charles Chapman got up and spoke on the future direction of the ministry. this included expansions in Project L.I.F.E., women’s outreach, and changes in the relational strategy of the ministry. After dessert, the board as well as staff came up and presented gifts to Mike and Katy Gallo. After gifts and a word of prayer comissioning them off, the event concluded.

All in all, it was a great first benefit dinner for the ministry. The event itself raised approximately $3200 which was less than desired, but still a blessing in itself. Next year the ministry will look to expand a bit with the additions of a silent and/or Chinese auction. Thanks goes out to all who helped make 2010′s benefit a great time!