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Carol and Willie FowlerCouple hosting lunch for homeless people
Country:
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Content:
A Couple Who Organized a Dinner for the Homeless
In September 2013, the homeless in Atlanta were truly fortunate. They will never forget the luxurious four-course meal they had at a fancy restaurant. It was all a stroke of luck, which turned out to be a real drama for the main character of this story, but a true celebration for the homeless in the city.
Carol and Willie Fowler
Carol and Willie Fowler, residents of Atlanta, Georgia, were preparing to marry off their daughter, Tamara, in September 2013. Unfortunately, just before the wedding, Tamara and her fiancé called off their engagement. Carol and Willie were shocked - apart from the disappointment and sympathy for their daughter, they also had to decide what to do with the already ordered and paid banquet for two hundred people. Unfortunately, getting a refund was no longer possible.
Soon, Willie came up with a strange but amusing idea - to arrange a banquet for the homeless, and his wife enthusiastically supported him. Carol contacted Elizabeth Omilami from the charity organization 'Hosea Feed the Hungry,' which deals with hunger issues, and soon the preparations for the celebration were in full swing at the 'Villa Christina' restaurant. The event took place as scheduled, but the reason for the celebration was slightly different, and the guests did not receive official invitations with doves and rings.
On the appointed day, two hundred homeless people from Atlanta, dressed in their best outfits, gathered in the grand hall of the prestigious 'Villa Christina' restaurant. They were greeted by the maître d'hotel and waiters ready to serve the event in the finest traditions of the restaurant. By the way, the name of the dinner - First Annual Fowler Family Celebration of Love - suggests that this dinner was just the first of many planned, and the Fowlers had already decided to try to hold similar dinners every year with the help of God and sponsors.
Interestingly, many of the guests were experiencing such a lavish feast for the first time in their lives. The four-course meal was ordered with great extravagance - Carol and Willie spared no expense for their beloved daughter's wedding. For the homeless, the dinner also became a wonderful excursion into etiquette and the world of good manners. High-quality tableware and crystal glasses, the overall luxurious ambiance of the restaurant - everything was unusual for the homeless and underprivileged, but there were no dissatisfied guests at this event. The Fowlers themselves were pleased as well, as they managed to turn an obvious failure into a perfect success. Instead of mourning their daughter's embarrassment and misfortune, they now enjoy their newfound popularity, as their unusual celebratory dinner has been covered by many not only American but also international publications.
Carol Fowler, inspired by the success of her first charitable project, is ready to continue and encourages others to follow her example. She urges families who have surplus food to not let it go to waste, as there are so many people living on the brink of hunger nearby. By the way, the director of 'Hosea Feed the Hungry' suggested that the Fowlers focus especially on children since around 70 percent of the homeless in Atlanta are children.
As for Tamara, the event organized by her parents helped her distract from the sad thoughts related to the cancellation of her wedding and the collapse of her life plans. She is simply happy that her parents were able to turn the drama into a good fairy tale so gracefully and with such benefit.
