SLIPPERY ROCK — The monthly community dinners are back in full force.

Tom Bodie, pastor of Ginger Hill Unitarian Universalist Congregation, said the dinners have at least 10 main volunteers. In the past, there were only about five core volunteers.

“We've just had innumerable people at the ready this time,” Bodie said.

The dinners were postponed in September. Bodie cited a lack of manpower and burnout among key organizers as the reason.

The dinners, which began in 2009 and were sponsored by area churches, were held the third Thursday of every month, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Center Presbyterian Church. Between 125 and 150 people attended the dinners.

The original goals were “to feed neighbors touched by tough economic times, to provide moments of relationship for the isolated and build bridges between the faith communities of our area.”

Two months after the dinner program ended, a reorganizational meeting in November drew a good response, sparking other meetings.

The first of the reorganized dinners took place in February. Four more have been served since. The dinners have been averaging about 150 to 160 people.

Wilma Oman, who volunteered for the original dinner program, said those dinners took too much time and there were too few volunteers. She said it was a good thing to postpone them and reexamine the process.

“Hindsight was good,” Oman said.

Core organizers are members of the Ginger Hill Unitarian Universalist Congregation, the Slippery Rock United Methodist Church, Center Presbyterian Church, the Friendship Group of Presbyterian Churches and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Bodie said the largest number of new volunteers is from the LDS church, which just joined the dinner effort.

“Our church wanted to have more involvement in the community,” said Julia Udy, a volunteer from the LDS church.

She said volunteers from different churches work well together.

“We just all get along,” Udy said.

Dale Mahoney, a longtime dinner volunteer, said volunteers interact with each other more this time.

“This time, there is more (fellowship),” Mahoney said.

He said work is more spread out among volunteers, adding that everyone is taking on leadership roles as needed.

“Everybody's learning how to do everything,” Mahoney said.

Oman said there are plenty of people who are not affiliated with churches who want to support the community. She said she would like to see them come and help with the dinners.

Bodie said he also is seeking other churches that may be interested in getting involved.

Mahoney, who lives in the Graystone Manor apartment building, said many senior citizens who live in the building have told him that they are glad the dinners are back.

“They all very much missed it,” Mahoney said.

Although there is more volunteers, fewer donations are coming in. Before this, organizers were able to cover the costs of the dinners from donations.

“Money has become an issue,” Bodie said.

He said they are seeking donations.

With the current success, Bodie said he is hoping the program will continue to grow.

“I still have this vision that we'll have more than one dinner a month,” Bodie said.

The next dinner will be served from 4:30 to 6 p.m. July 18 at Center Presbyterian Church, 211 Center St.

Those who interested in helping or are seeking additional information can contact Bodie at 724-735-4880 or 724-421-6004. E-mails can also be sent to srcommunity_dinner@yahoo.com.