Dr. Merlin Augustine, founder of the M&N Augustine Foundation, was beaming Saturday as he mingled in crowds that came and went from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the cavernous activities hall at Fayetteville’s Central United Methodist Church.
Nothing makes this former educator and administrator happier than hosting his foundation’s Trent Trumbo Easter Feed, always held on the Saturday before Easter.
This year’s goal set another record with the number of free meals served to those from all walks of life, courtesy of the foundation and numerous contributors.
It’s also the one three-hour event each year in Fayetteville when local elected officials from congressmen to mayors, judges and sheriffs for 21 years have served, then sat a spell to share their meal with the influential and the homeless. A small army of volunteers also deliver meals to those who can’t attend.
No one goes hungry on Merlin’s special feast day, not if he can prevent it.
This year, Fayetteville lawyer Jim Rose III was back in his familiar role as volunteer drill sergeant for the buffet line. The man I’ll call the commandant was clad literally from head to toe in athletic gear touting the San Antonio Spurs, although he said his garb didn’t mean he was an avid NBA fan.
He made certain he had the rest of us volunteers in proper position, gloved and lined up at our stations like raw recruits. And as with every year, those serving were largely the community’s leaders.
For example, there was Washington County Prosecutor (soon to be circuit judge) John Threet, his successor-to-be Matt Durrett, Justice of the Peace Eva Madison, Circuit Judge Joanna Taylor, Juvenile Judge Stacey Zimmerman, Sheriff Tim Helder, state Sen. Uvalde Lindsey and County Judge Marilyn Edwards, just to name a few manning the serving trays.
Hungry recipients began shuffling through the line just before 11. The large round tables quickly filled with those clad in everything from suits to T-shirts and coveralls. One girl set an appropriate scene with her crown of fluffy pink bunny ears. Across the massive room, another nonstop line served takeout meals for those in a hurry and others who couldn’t attend. It was all unfolding amid the constant drone of a hundred conversations.
This year’s feast, as always, included everything from turkey to ham, potatoes, dressing, cranberries, vegetables and desserts. As he has in the past two years, commandant Rose assigned me to the metal tubs piled with sliced white and wheat bread at the end of the line.
An unexpected large pan of cornbread muffins also appeared this year. That popular manna, arriving from over my left shoulder, was gone in 10 minutes.
My spiel to the diners then became a bit easier as I repeated: “White or wheat? Happy Easter, folks!”
Merlin, now 71, and his wife Beverly initiated the Easter Feed two decades ago after starting their foundation in 1992 with a $10,000 inheritance from his late parents. Rather than add an addition to their home or purchase a new vehicle with the windfall, they decided to give back to the community by forming a compassionate nonprofit foundation to help those (often single mothers) in dire need of a leg up.
In the first year of the Easter Feed,
Merlin said they expected 100
people and 300 showed up. Saturday, thanks to many contributions of money and food supported by hundreds of volunteers, they served more than 6,500 meals. That’s more than the population of many Arkansas towns.
I’m blown away when I reflect on the hidden hand that clearly has guided the Augustines’ efforts. Merlin admits that he had no idea what his family was creating when it decided to plant their family’s seed money in good faith. “There’s no question that God’s hand was at work in the foundation and the Easter Feed that requires so many volunteers and contributions each year,” he said. “We opened ourselves up in the faith that what we were doing was what we should be with that inheritance.”
Merlin took the microphone to introduce several supporters of the Easter Feed (the event named several years ago after the late Fayetteville alderman Trent Trumbo). Standing on stage beneath the foundation’s symbol that reads “Unity Lights the World,” the former vice chancellor of administration and finance at the University of Arkansas was exuberant as he said more than 56,000 have been fed since this event began.
He went on to ask everyone to acknowledge the ambience of brotherhood in the hall. “We are all one,” he said. “All of us!”
Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan then said how encouraging it is that such a celebration could attract people from various races, cultures, faiths, socioeconomic status and age, as well as so many volunteers. “Don’t you just love this event!” he shouted to loud applause.
Volunteer Joseph K. Wood, the personable deputy secretary of state for education and communication, continually found his way from the food line to the iced-drink tables and beyond, adding his own social glue to the gathering. “This is a wonderful day for lots of people,” Wood told me with a broad smile. “Merlin and his family have truly created something special.” -
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Mike Masterson’s column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected]. Read his blog at mikemastersonsmessenger.com.
Editorial, Pages 14 on 04/22/2014