Young volunteers help prepare, serve at annual Lebanese food festival

Sarah Hofius Hall, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·2 min read

Aug. 12—SCRANTON — At a church founded in 1897, using recipes passed down generations, young parishioners keep faith strong and bellies full.

Bruno Lefler, 16, operated the cash register. Symeon Clark, 17, made potato pancakes. And Annie Fitzpatrick, 18, helped deliver food to hungry customers at the annual Lebanese-American Food Festival at St. Joseph Melkite Greek-Catholic Church.

The small church in West Scranton relies on the annual fundraiser to help keep its doors open, and the members of the youth group play a vital role in preparing the food and volunteering at the festival.

"The faith is very alive," said Annie Clark, 18, of Moscow. "All the families who bring their children to church show them what's important."

The teens help prepare and then freeze some of the menu items in advance, giving up Saturday mornings throughout the summer to learn the recipes passed down from Lebanon.

"It's important to keep our parish going," Bruno said.

A total of about 600 people had visited by late Saturday afternoon, the second day of the three-day festival. The festival continues Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m. at 130 N. St. Frances Cabrini Ave.

Volunteers hurried across the narrow avenue, carrying trays of food from the prep space in the church to the tent across the street. While attendees can purchase cheeseburgers, hot dogs and french fries, Middle Eastern dishes, such as grape leaves, kibbie and tabouli, remain the most popular.

The smell of grilled beef and chicken kabobs filled the tent. People listened to traditional music, bought raffle tickets and picked up desserts, such as knafeh — a pastry composed of shredded wheat and ricotta cheese — to take home.

Neighbors and friends reunited at folding tables, and members of the close-knit church, who either are or consider themselves family, bonded over hot grills and pans of food.

Maggie Miller, 16, of Elmhurst Twp., credited her family with instilling her faith.

"It's something we want to do," she said, taking a quick break from the cash register. "It's a nice way to help the church and community."

Contact the writer:

shofius@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9133;

@hofiushallTT on Twitter.