Fourth Annual Simple Blessings Dinner Honors Nichole Phelps
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by Priscilla Alvik
Simple Blessings
For the past four years Donneta Phelps owner of the Wagon Wheel Café, in Tingley has prepared dinners to share with towns people near and far on Thanksgiving Day. Phelps has named the gift of serving food to others “Simple Blessings”. Phelps through her actions on Thanksgiving Day is doing what she has taught her children throughout their lifetime to consider, serve the community with a pure heart.
Simple Blessings is a mother’s love played forward that was driven by the grief of her daughter Nichole Rose passing on December 18th, 2016. Nichole Rose Phelps had a passion for serving the Lord. For three consecutive years 2014, 2015, 2016 you would find Nichole spending her Thanksgiving Day serving meals to the homeless and less fortunate in the greater Des Moines area. Nichole’s passion of serving the Lord through serving others was a gift of heart. Phelps realized one day that she played a big part in her daughter’s love of giving. Phelps said, “It was like a slap in the face”, realization. “It took five years of thinking, and talking to people before the first Annual Free Will Offering Thanksgiving dinner became a reality in 2022”, Phelps explained.
Phelps annual dinners have served over 200 people each year for the past three years. This year 289 dinners were served, with the help of 22 volunteers. Phelps explained, “It takes a couple of weeks to prepare the food to be served.” My observation of the event is that Phelps leaves no detail unattended to. Volunteers from Missio Church were on hand as greeters, food servers, and to help clean tables. The McFarland family not only hosted the event at the Hoover Family Barn but also, provided all the yummy desserts. One couple came from North Carolina to help serve the meal after learning of the history of the annual dinner through conversations with Phelps over the last few years. Friends directed parking, accessibility into the barn, signing in, food to go for homebound residents, including delivery and the Jarred trolly was used to bring residents from Clearview Home in Mount Ayr. All monies collected through the free will offering are donated each year to various charities in memory of Nichole Rose Phelps.
Various people in attendance commented on how Tingley as a community, “Gets together and has the spirit of getting things done.” Kevin Kobbe and his dad commented, “That they came 40 miles to attend, and that the dinner was awesome.” On behalf of many it is my honor to, “Thank Donetta Phelps”, for a dinner well served.”
