St. Charles church celebrates 8 years of free spaghetti dinners

In the eight years since St. Charles Episcopal Church started hosting free spaghetti dinners each month, event organizers say thousands of Fox Valley residents and families of all ages have been served.

The Two Guys and Free Spaghetti event, held the last Sunday of each month, was started in 2009 by parishioners Matt Rhead and Joe Ryan, who wanted to offer a free meal to those in need.

The tradition continued Sunday evening as dozens of community members lined up to receive their homemade meals, listen to live music and socialize.

"We wanted to offer a good-quality meal and a high-quality community experience," Rhead said. "We're thrilled it seems to be growing stronger."

More than 20 volunteers from the St. Charles church and community help out at each dinner, said event organizer Kathy Hari. The dinner serves about 150 people per month, she said, a number that is continuing to climb.

Those in attendance are served a pasta dish, salad, garlic bread, beverages and dessert. Any leftovers are donated to Lazarus House, which helps people who are homeless in the Tri-Cities area.