Tickets are now available for the 16th annual Feast of Joy/Christmas Dinner which benefits The Shepherd’s Inn emergency shelter.
The event will be held Dec. 8 at First Baptist Church in Elizabethton. This program is a fundraising event for The Shepherd’s Inn, the community’s only emergency shelter and program for victims of domestic violence and homeless women and their children, shelter executive director Paul Gabinet said.
The evening will begin with a variety of hors d’oeuvres as traditionally provided by local restaurants. Following, a bountiful dinner will be served. The meal will be prepared by Eric Hoglund, former Executive Chef of the Johnson City Country Club and past president of the Mountain Empire Chapter of the American Culinary Federation.
Carter County 4-H students will serve guests a full meal with assorted desserts and wassail.
Keyboardist David Arney will perform during the meal.
“The evening’s program is a special treat this year,” Gabinet said. “We are pleased that the evening’s entertainment will be provided by the Carter County 4-H students, past and present.”
Under the direction of 4-H Youth Development extension agent Camille Jessee, the students will provide this year’s Christmas entertainment.
“When we started the Feast of Joy 16 years ago we called on the assistance of Ms. Camille Jessee, and the Carter County 4-H students were on board to help us kick off the first event,” Gabinet said. “They have been a significant part of the benefit ever since. They are a major reason for the success of the Feast of Joy. The guests always comment about these students and the professional manner they display during the evening’s festivities. We are thrilled to have current and former students of Ms. Jessee to give a taste of our local talent for this Christmas tradition.”
The annual event is organized by the board and advisory members of The Shepherd’s Inn and is coordinated by Gabinet.
“This program has become a part of our community’s Christmas tradition and promises to be an evening of great food, fun, and inspiration, all for the cause of supporting the work to assist the women and children who are victims of domestic violence in our community and those who are temporarily homeless,” Gabinet said. “Additional gifts of food, cleaning agents, laundry detergents, et cetera, will be gratefully accepted by guests upon arrival for the Christmas Dinner. The Shepherd’s Inn safe house emergency shelter is totally reliant on the community for operational funding.”
Tickets for reserved seating are available and can be purchased at $20.00 each by calling Linda at 543-1931 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or by calling 542-0180. Tickets for the event are limited.