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SALUDA—On Tuesday, March 11, the Saluda Community Table made a $1,000 donation to the Foothills to Farm to Fork Trail Scholarship Program and kicked off a raffle for a handmade quilt made by Verlie Murphy to raise future funds for the scholarship. The raffle winner will be revealed during the Coon Dog Day celebration. 

Raffle tickets can be purchased at the Saluda Community Table, the upcoming Saluda Arts Festival, and downtown Saluda on the weekends.

Funds raised through the raffle will go towards the Foothills Farm to Fork Scholarship program in the future, which supports Polk County High School students pursuing studies in hospitality, agriculture, or sustainability.

In its ninth year of operation, the Saluda Community Table has established itself as a vital resource for residents and visitors. It offers a donation-based home-cooked meal service at the Saluda Senior Center on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 p.m. Volunteers take charge of various roles such as setup, cooking, and cleanup, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable dining experience.

Carole Gassaway of the Foothills Farm to Fork Trail board expressed her gratitude to the Saluda Community Table for the donation.

“It is always such a pleasure to attend these dinners and spend time with friends,” said Gassaway. 

“We’re so grateful to SCT for their continued support of our organization. It’s generosity like theirs that has allowed us to expand our scholarship awards into Rutherford County. It’s a vital part of our mission to encourage the future of agriculture and sustainable practices, especially locally.”

Charlotte Lovett, a dedicated volunteer at the SCT, added, “The beauty of the community table is that it brings people of all ages together, and it offers great food.”

A Mediterranean dinner was served to 145 guests, organized by 18-year-old Ariana Wood. Ariana, who led the cooking alongside her parents, Amy and Noah Wood, her sister Louise, and friends, is a senior at Polk County High School. She aspires to study sustainable agriculture in college.

“I chose this menu because it’s very fresh. It reminds me of spring, hopefulness, and joy,” Ariana said. “I love herbs and sauces, so falafel and salads with various dips were what I gravitated toward. It comes together in a way that feels like a family meal. In addition to my little group of family and friends who helped cook, our community here certainly feels like an ever-evolving family that shares not only food but joy and love as well.”

During the recent wildfires, the Saluda Community Table became a go-to organization for providing meals to firefighters. The meals were made possible thanks to the unwavering support of local businesses, including the Saluda Mexican Grille, who made 150 meals for firefighters on the frontlines, with the SCT supplying sandwiches the next day. 

For more information about the Foothills Farm to Fork Scholarship program or for Polk and Rutherford students to apply, visit foothillsfarmtoforktrail.org.