Progressive Dinner!
There are a couple of SAC (Student Activities Council) Events each year that I have never failed to attend in my four years of college. Oddly enough, each of them involves food in some capacity. The first is the One-Big Table Potluck Dinner, which I attended last semester. This semester, it is the Annual Progressive Dinner. The Progressive Dinner is where everyone loads into Malone vans with three destinations (the homes of Malone faculty and staff). There are three courses to dinner, each served at a different house. This year, my group went to the homes of Morgan Wagner (Malone Admission’s Counselor), Shelley Doerschuk (Instructor, School of Education), and Dr. Chris Abrams (Vice President for Student Development).
Erik, attempting to coax Morgan's cat to come out from under the couch
At Morgan’s house, we started the evening off with Brochette and chips with dip. It was so good that one of my roommates, Erik, at 4 plates of it. As a veteran Progressive Diner, I knew to pace myself better than that. Erik also found a reluctant friend in Morgan’s cat. The cat spent the majority of the time under the couch trying to get her toy back from Erik so she wouldn’t have to play with him anymore.
At the Doerschuk’s home, we had ham, cheesy potatoes, vegetable casserole, and rolls. We were also served coffee after dinner which I went on to spill on the table. Luckily, the Doerschuk’s had a table cloth made of miracle, liquid-repelling fabric, so somehow didn’t leave a mark! Before we left, we played Picture-Telephone which is played the same way you played telephone as a child, except with drawings. We were having such a good time that Shelley had to tell us it was time to move on or we would be late for dessert.
Side Note: Shelley’s last name, Doerschuk, is pronounced “door-shek”, which, oddly enough is my roommate’s last name and my last name put together… further instilling the understanding that we were destined to go on this trip together.
The whole group at the Abrams' House for dessert
At the Abrams’ house, we finished the evening with Monkey Bread (or sticky bread) and coffee and hot chocolate. We had a good time playing with Hope and Faith, Chris and Melissa’s daughters (until bedtime, that is). The girls are celebrities in the Malone community, so much so that when I posted a photo of us together at the Progressive Dinner on my facebook, past Malone students started commenting on how big Hope and Faith are getting.
There are benefits to cafeteria eating… for instance, you never have to decide what to have for dinner and you never have to shop. The downside is that your options become limited and sometimes you get bored. Until you go to college, you’ll never know how valuable a home-cooked meal really is. So, thank you to Morgan Wagner, Shelley Doerschuk (and her husband), and the Abrams’ family for providing dinner this Thursday. We are forever grateful.