Sixty tables lined with baked ziti and pesto chicken served as a common ground for Gainesville city officials and citizens to talk about their home.
On Saturday evening, the city of Gainesville hosted its third annual Longest Table Event at Depot Park, at 874 SE 4th St. Elected officals spoke to citizens at different tables while eating food. About 300 people registered to attend the two-hour long event.
This occasion is normally held in December but was moved to January due to other event interferences, said Lauren Rawson, the event’s creative services supervisor. Given $9,000 to put toward the occasion, Rawson and her 20 to 25 volunteers catered Dos Mamas, a homestyle-cooking restaurant, for those in attendance.
The event also partnered with Bread of the Mighty, a food bank, to run a food drive, Rawson said. More than 200 pounds of non-perishable foods were collected.
“We have 300 people and we’re feeding them,” Rawson said. “The least we can do is to ask them to bring a canned good.”
All six Gainesville city commissioners along with Mayor Lauren Poe attended the event, Poe said. Senior city staff members were also in attendance.
“We are very excited that, despite the cold weather, y’all decided to come out,” Poe said during his opening speech for the event. “I think the conversations and the people you will meet will warm you up.”
The purpose of the night is to give people a platform to speak about issues that affect them daily, Poe said. A gathering like this helps city officials understand the rights and wrongs of the community as well as if current policies, such as police functionality and after school care programs, are working as well as they could be.
“It is one of the many things that we as a city are trying to do to bring people together that do not normally talk to one another or even know each other,” Poe said.
Poe first heard about the event from former Tallahassee mayor, Andrew Gillum and decided to implement this event two years ago after seeing its success in Florida’s capital.
Those in attendance were encouraged to sit down at one of the many tables to talk with city officials or strangers about pressing community issues, where they’d like to see the city 10 years down the road and changes that could be implemented today.
Lorraine McGill, a Gainesville resident, enjoyed the opportunity to discuss her opinions and concerns for the city with officals.
“They seem very focused on drawing new businesses, residents and students to the area that they sometimes lose sight of what’s important to long-term residents as well,” McGill said.
After she enjoyed the company of new friends and local food, McGill said this event is a nice change from the discord in South Florida, where she previously lived.
“I love the fact that the city of Gainesville coordinates events like this,” McGill said. “I truly appreciate the sense of community in Gainesville.”
The City of Gainesville hosted the third annual Longest Table Event at Deport Park at 874 SE 4th St., a community outreach event for elected officials to speak with citizens at different tables while eating food.
