FEED OUR CHILDREN – SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM
Summer Lunch Program continues to make a difference in West Salem. Close to 170 lunches are served each day, twice a week, adding up to almost 350 lunches a week! Huge thanks go to to to the congregation, community, and all our large donation partners who make this program possible.
Special thanks go to:
- Team captains and team members who worked each week to make this ministry possible.
- Our corporate sponsors: Linda’s Bakery, Hansen’s IGA, and LaCrosse County Dairy Producers, Subway, and Alforex Seeds.
If you are interested in being part of the team to make this program happen in future summers, please contact Pastor Jon!
CARE AND SHARE FOOD PANTRY
Located in a room in the basement of Our Savior’s, the West Salem Area Community Care & Share Food Pantry opened its doors in 2002. With guiding hands and generous hearts, twelve board members and many volunteers, give their time to make a difference in our community. Families and individuals from West Salem, Bangor, Rockland, Barre Mills and Mindoro are served from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The pantry survives on the generosity of people and organizations for donations of both food and dollars. Cereal, canned goods and peanut butter are always needed, but they will always accept fresh produce during the summer. Donations can be dropped off weekdays during office hours, Saturday during Pantry hours and Sunday during worship hours. Our Savior’s is blessed to be a part of the mission of providing food for people in need.
CORN ROAST
Held every August at the Lions Community Shelter, the free Corn Roast is a gift to our community, and provides an opportunity to meet and get to know our neighbors. Close to 600 meals are served each year. The Outreach Committee along with many volunteers provides a family friendly meal of hot dogs, roasted corn, watermelon and homemade dessert. In old-fashioned picnic style, we gather together in fellowship to celebrate community. All are welcome to join in this evening of fun.
JUNE DAIRY DAYS
The first weekend in June in West Salem is filled with families, food and fun. June Dairy Days (JDD) provides Our Savior’s Youth with the opportunity to earn funds for its ministry through fellowship and service. Each year volunteers from Our Savior’s and St. Leo’s work together to provide food for this three-day event. A menu that includes hot dogs, brats, hot beef, pork chop sandwiches and more is cooked and served by over one hundred volunteers. In addition to running the food stand, our adults and youth work together to manage the JDD Run. All ages are welcome to run or walk in this event.
BUSINESS EXPO
Celebrate West Salem is a community-wide event planned for March or April of each year at the West Salem High School. The event brings together local businesses, educational institutions, and civic organizations to showcase their products and services, as well as to celebrate the community we live in. Our Savior’s recently joined over one thousand attendees and participants as they came together to share who they are and what their community means to them. The Our Savior’s booth showcases our heritage with a Lutefisk theme of Goldfish crackers and a chance to win a gift basket stocked with Norwegian items including lefse and a ticket for the Lutefisk Dinner.
LUTEFISK DINNER
The first Saturday in November represents a time-honored tradition. Lutefisk, lefse, meatballs, potatoes, cranberries, rutabagas and home baked desserts are prepared and served up family-style, by over 200 volunteers, at this annual Norwegian dinner. The Ladies Aid Society, in 1925, recorded profits of $66.62. In 1953 they became The Women’s Missionary Federation and the dinner has continued since that time. In 2016 over 600 dine in and carry out meals were served. All profits from the dinner are distributed a variety of missions, both local and worldwide. Our celebration of heritage makes a difference in the world today!
