Community Table offers more than a free meal
By Stacey Sullivan
From the outside, Community Table might look like a simple, free dinner served in a church basement.
But step inside, pull up a chair, and it quickly becomes clear that this monthly gathering is about far more than food. It’s about conversation, connection, community and the feeling that everyone belongs.
Launched in March 2025, Community Table is a free, welcoming meal open to anyone who would like to attend. The initiative is spearheaded by Lakefield United Church (LUC) and takes place on the fourth Monday of every month in the church basement, with dinner served at 5:30 p.m.
Each month, approximately 100 people gather around the tables for a delicious, homemade meal prepared by a team of community volunteers who make the evening possible.
Volunteers gather after preparing a turkey dinner for approximately 100 guests at Community Table on December 22. (Photo: Discover Lakefield)
Some guests arrive in small groups, others as pairs, and some on their own. But by the time the plates are cleared, strangers have often become friends.
Community Table was created in response to multiple needs within the community. Food insecurity is one, but it’s only part of a larger picture.
“There’s a lot of folks who really haven’t found their feet again since COVID, and seniors who lost partners during that time,” says Kate Ramsay, Community Table organizer and volunteer. “It’s a response to food insecurity, it’s a response to that hunger for connection. But the other thing we found is that it’s a response to a real hunger to be able to do something to move the yardstick.”
What has emerged is something deeper still. Community Table has become a place where people can quietly reconnect, not only with each other, but with the broader network that exists in Lakefield.
“It might be financial, it might be social, but they just seem to know that this is a welcoming place.”
“There are little informal connections, and also connections to services that are available in the community,” says Ramsay, “It might be financial, it might be social, but they just seem to know that this is a welcoming place.”
The range of attendees reflects the inclusive spirit of the event, with Ramsay noting they see people from all walks of life, aged 4 to 94.
Guests gather for a Christmas themed meal during Community Table on December 22. (Photo: Discover Lakefield)
Seasonal celebrations add to the warmth. The December Community Table featured a Christmas-themed turkey dinner with all the fixings. Guests and volunteers arrived in festive sweaters and hats, carols were sung, draw prizes were handed out, and handmade Christmas crackers, crafted by children before dinner, were shared around the tables. The food was so plentiful that guests were encouraged to take home extra meals for the next day or to tuck into their freezer.
While Lakefield United Church hosts and coordinates the program, Community Table is very much a collaborative effort. The initiative aligns with LUC’s mission of gathering community, offering compassion and deepening faith, but it is powered by partnerships throughout the village.
Community groups such as Lakefield Youth Unlimited, Lovesick Lake Native Women’s Association, the Lakefield Community Food Bank and Community Care have all played a role. When the church kitchen was under renovation, the Lakefield Curling Club stepped in to host. During the summer months, Lakefield’s volunteer firefighters barbecued hamburgers outdoors.
Volunteering is a vital part of Community Table’s success and, for many, a meaningful experience in itself. Volunteers greet guests at the door, prepare the meals, serve the food, pack up take-home containers and clean up afterward.
“It just fills a need to do something for other people, meet new people, and to do that in a concrete way where you can see the smiling faces,” Ramsay noted. “It takes a village. People keep reaching out and saying, ‘I’ve heard about the Community Table, can I help?’”
That willingness to step forward speaks to what many see as the heart of Lakefield.
“It affirms everything about this village and the surrounding community. It has a real strong fabric of support for one another.”
“It affirms everything about this village and the surrounding community. It has a real strong fabric of support for one another,” Ramsay says. “I find it affirming about why I still live here 46 years later.”
Community Table continues to grow, sustained by the shared belief that a simple meal can open the door to something much bigger: friendship, dignity, belonging and hope.
A turkey dinner with all the fixings is set out for guests at Community Table on December 22. (Photo: Discover Lakefield)
Meals typically include vegetarian options, and efforts are made to provide gluten-free and nut-free choices whenever possible. Donations are always graciously accepted, but never required. Funding support has come from Lakefield United Church Outreach, United Way, Lakefield Village Lions Club and generous community members who heard about the program and wanted to help.
The next Community Table event is scheduled for Monday, January 26, at Lakefield United Church, 47 Regent Street in Lakefield. Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m., and all are welcome.
For more information on how you can support Community Table, visit www.lakefieldunitedchurch.ca. Donations can be made by e-transfer to lkflduc@nexicom.net.