Fred, Cassandra and Rick (your narrator today) have arrived in San Patrignano, just outside of Rimini.
All of us are in awe of the community that has been created at this amazing social enterprise. Fred and Cassandra arrived just in time for lunch...
Lunch means 2,000 people sharing a meal at the same time in what may be the world's most amazing dining room. A massive wooden roof, built like an ark turned upside down, spans a room without any posts. Situated on the top of a hill in farm country and surrounded on 360 degrees by a ribbon of windows that looks out on the countryside, the room is an amazing center of this community.
As Fred commented; "I don't know what is more inspiring; how well coordinated the process is of everyone coming in, food being served and cleared, or how with just three hand claps by anyone in the joyous, boisterous hall there is almost immediate silence in respect to the person who has clapped who wants to offer their personal thanks for the support of the community."
During our brief pre-event orientation Fred, Cassandra and I toured a part of this community. We saw the on-campus hospital, gym, theater, winery, and horse farm. We heard about the nearby olive oil growing and pressing facilities. We got a whiff of the hog farm. We walked around the most beautifully constructed campus we could have imagined, and we have just scratched the surface.
At our Rubicon booth we will share the stories of our work with the thousands who come to the festival. Our booth neighbors include an organization from Afghanistan who is growing saffron as an alternative to opium, organizations from Myanmar and Thailand with food programs as economic development innovations, and more which we will learn about over the next three days.
In the main kitchen (more later to describe a kitchen that serves 2,000 people three times a day) one of the guests, England's "Naked Chef," has brought a team from his London restaurant to participate in the event.
There is so much more to report and we will over the next three days. Pictures to come as well.
All of us are in awe of the community that has been created at this amazing social enterprise. Fred and Cassandra arrived just in time for lunch...
Lunch means 2,000 people sharing a meal at the same time in what may be the world's most amazing dining room. A massive wooden roof, built like an ark turned upside down, spans a room without any posts. Situated on the top of a hill in farm country and surrounded on 360 degrees by a ribbon of windows that looks out on the countryside, the room is an amazing center of this community.
As Fred commented; "I don't know what is more inspiring; how well coordinated the process is of everyone coming in, food being served and cleared, or how with just three hand claps by anyone in the joyous, boisterous hall there is almost immediate silence in respect to the person who has clapped who wants to offer their personal thanks for the support of the community."
During our brief pre-event orientation Fred, Cassandra and I toured a part of this community. We saw the on-campus hospital, gym, theater, winery, and horse farm. We heard about the nearby olive oil growing and pressing facilities. We got a whiff of the hog farm. We walked around the most beautifully constructed campus we could have imagined, and we have just scratched the surface.
At our Rubicon booth we will share the stories of our work with the thousands who come to the festival. Our booth neighbors include an organization from Afghanistan who is growing saffron as an alternative to opium, organizations from Myanmar and Thailand with food programs as economic development innovations, and more which we will learn about over the next three days.
In the main kitchen (more later to describe a kitchen that serves 2,000 people three times a day) one of the guests, England's "Naked Chef," has brought a team from his London restaurant to participate in the event.
There is so much more to report and we will over the next three days. Pictures to come as well.
1 comment:
Hi guys!
Thanks for the great blog...can't wait to come visit and see the great work you're doing in the bay area..
abbracci, monica
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