Last July, a few dozen volunteers gathered in Civic Center Park in the very heart of Denver, Colorado, to set a table.
Why does it take a few dozen people to set a table, you might ask?
Well, this particular table was going to be 528 feet long, and it was going to host 528 people for dinner that night.
(Here in the Mile High City, we can get a little obsessed with the number 5280.)
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I was one of the volunteers that day. It was a lot of work. I was on chair duty for most of the morning (I promise I was mostly working and not just taking selfies). Unfolding chairs was a simple job, but also brilliant because I got to watch all the other elements dance as everything came together. Setting a table of this size is like a giant puzzle, with each person delivering different pieces… it’s a beautiful kind of choreography. We had volunteers of all ages, from all backgrounds, all working together on a project with a heart of pure generosity.
As often happens in Denver, an afternoon thunderstorm passed through and threatened the event, but by late afternoon the weather was calm and clear — perfect for hosting 528 of our newest friends.
I was also very lucky to be able to get a seat at the table for dinner that night. It was such a treat to meet these perfect strangers and share a meal with them.
It’s hard to capture in photo or video just how long a 528-foot long table is, but I took this video to try:
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In today’s world, it can be hard to feel connected. Yes, I know that technology gives us more connectivity than basically any humans in history ever, but more connectivity actually seems to have an inverse relationship with actual connection. It’s a bizarre kind of lonely, sitting at home with a thousand “friends” online; I’m quite sure you’ve felt this, too.
So… how about we set another table?
But this time, let’s make it an actual mile long…!
The Mile-Long Table
I’m not sure a mile is the “next logical step” after setting a 528-foot long table, because nothing about a mile-long table is very logical, frankly.
But that is precisely what makes it so fabulous!!
Would you consider helping??
There are multiple ways you can get involved:
- GIVE MONEY! — Yeah, it costs a bit of cash to set up and feed 5280 people. You can go to GoFundMe right now and throw in a few bucks. It’s tax deductible, too! Obviously this is an easy way to help, even if you don’t live in Denver.
- VOLUNTEER! — If you’re in or near Denver, please consider coming to volunteer in person this summer. I’m telling you from experience: it’s one of the coolest things you will do all year. Sign up at the bottom of this website for more info.
- COMPANY SPONSORSHIP! — I can think of few things cooler for a company to do than sponsor this event. In times like these, the act of strangers sitting down and building relationships is both heart-warming and extremely practical; put simply, we need a whole lot more of this in our communities! Go to the bottom of this page and you can download the deck to share with your organization and fill out the quick info form to register your interest.
If you’d like some special VIP treatment, I’m also happy to make a direct intro to Tim, one of the most delightful humans you will ever meet, who also happens to be a good friend and is the founder of Longer Tables. Just ping me through my contact form or on LinkedIn.
Thanks for reading about this event; it’s so very special, and so very important. I hope you’ll help us set the table! 🍽️🧡