The Quaker Kids of Newtown Quaker Meeting held their annual lasagna dinner for charity at the historic Quaker Meetinghouse and raised $2,476 for their designated charity, Callowhill Alpaca Farm in Perkasie, PA..
The highlight of the evening was the arrival of George the Alpaca at the Meetinghouse. When it was announced at the dinner that George had arrived, the entire crowd emptied out into the driveway to admire and pet him.
George lives at Callowhill Alpaca Farms and is the favorite of Newtown Meeting member, Charlotte Brock. Charlotte recommended this charity to the Quaker Kids group as the beneficiary of their lasagna dinner this year.
Charlotte first got connected with Callowhill Farms through 4H. Callowhill farm offers everyone in the 4H club the opportunity to show and care for the animals on the farm, and the highlight of Charlotte’s year is showing the Callowhill Alpacas at the Middletown Grange Fair every August.
Charlotte’s mother, Lisa Brock, said “Rhea (the Callowhill Farmer) has been very generous with Charlotte over the years. Rhea allows Charlotte to pop in whenever she wants and bring her other disabled friends with her. They hosted a birthday party for Charlotte at the farm. and George the Alpaca once made a surprise visit to a gathering at her grandparents’ house.”
Newtown Meeting Quaker Kids have now raised over $45,000 which for charities of their choice during the past fifteen years by serving simple meals for voluntary donations.
Previous recipients of the funds raised at charitable events by the Newtown Quaker young people have been: Right Sharing of World Resources in India, Habitat for Humanity, Syrian refugee relief; US hurricane relief via the All Hands Volunteers; Valley Youth House’s Synergy Project for homeless youth; Haiti Relief; The School for Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA); Greater Philadelphia Diaper Bank; Mercer Street Friends Center in Trenton. NJ; Penndel Food Pantry; Save Darfur; and Heifer International.
Newtown Friends Meeting, co-founded by the Quaker artist and minister, Edward Hicks, in 1815, holds services every First Day (Sunday), with summer hours for outdoor worship from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and Meeting for Worship indoors at 10:00 a.m.