Thank you lunch

Lacy was recovering from anorexia nervosa and wanted a meal to expressly thank a group of women who were influential in her recovery. I planned the meal based on the foods that were pivotal in her recovery process. We wanted all of the guests to feel connected to each other through Lacy as they did not know each other prior to the meal. I created a large box that went down the middle of the table with holes cut into the top. Over each opening was a decadent, but healthy, chocolate cookie with one sentence of her story attached via a ribbon. Each guest took turns taking a cookie and as they did so, pulled out the ribbon that was attached and threaded through the hole of the box, and read what was written. The surprise was seeing there was more to the dessert-ending than just delicious flavor, but a chance to truly take part in sharing and celebrating the life, health, hardships and story of Lacy. On each ribbon was a sentence from Lacy’s recovery story and each guest’s pivotal role in her life. I also made a braid of all of Lacy’s tiniest clothes from her anorexic past. Each guest cut a piece from it to take home with them as a way to not only remember the meal, but also to help this woman lighten her load, get rid of the old, and make room for the new.