What started out as a small potluck in Grand Valley's School of Social Work has blossomed into a gala event with food from around the globe, topped with its own cookbook that will be available for purchase at nearby stores.
Lois Smith Owens, social work professor, began holding a holiday potluck for students in her Human Diversity class (now called Cultural Competency) soon after she joined Grand Valley's faculty two years ago. The idea was to celebrate the diversity of cultures in the department with food from a variety of ethnic backgrounds ¿ and it was a hit.
I told everybody to bring a recipe with them, Owens said. It just kept growing and everybody got into the act. We had so much food it was unbelievable.
Elaine Schott, professor and director of the MSW program, suggested they put all those recipes to good use. The result is the cookbook Food for Thought,filled with dozens of recipes from all over the world. A special feature is that the recipes are accompanied by stories or personal remembrances of holidays the food represents. Included are Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Deepawali (India Festival of Lights), the Chinese New Year, the Latino/Spanish Three Kings celebration, Michigan Native American traditions and the Dutch Tulip Festival.
Sales of the cookbook, priced at $12.50, will help fund scholarships for MSW students.
We hope that our contributions will help develop a better understanding and appreciation of diversity in this community ¿ and increase the desire for more diversity within our own student population, said Owens.
The SSW's holiday potluck will be replaced by a festive luncheon on December 8 attended by 150 people, including GVSU President Arend D. Lubbers and the Board of Control. Holidays from Food for Thought will be represented with display tables, costumes and, of course, food.
Food For Thought will be available for purchase after December 8 in University Bookstores and D&W Food Centers in Grandville and Gaslight Village.Call x6550 about purchasing a copy.
