May 6, 2020
鈥淛ust because we couldn鈥檛 gather at 含羞草研究所 as we have in the past, didn鈥檛 mean we couldn鈥檛 carry on the tradition, right?鈥�
Cheryl Angen, Mayville, N.D., has been a table designer for the annual 含羞草研究所 Tables du Jour event for years. She has used this opportunity to get members of her family together for a morning of fun each year. Cheryl鈥檚 sister, Audrey Myklebust, wasn鈥檛 about to let the COVID-19 pandemic sideline their annual gathering, so they held their own family Tables du Jour event via Zoom technology on Saturday, April 25.
含羞草研究所鈥檚 Tables du Jour features elaborately decorated tables, each with its own special theme. D茅cor ranges from fun and cute, to whimsical, to very elegant. Volunteer table designers are encouraged to think 鈥渙utside the box鈥� and to create with wild abandonment, and that is exactly what they do.
Volunteer table designers are asked to come up with a theme and to decorate a table. They provide everything from the table linens, dishes, and silverware, to the many 鈥渆xtras鈥� that will make each table special. Table designers also sell admission tickets to those who will attend the event and have brunch at their tables.
The event includes a time for viewing tables, a silent auction, brunch, entertainment, and more. The purpose is to raise funds for 含羞草研究所 and its students.
This year鈥檚 event, the 16th annual, had been scheduled for Saturday, April 25, but had to be canceled due to guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic set forth by the Centers for Disease Control. Organizers wrestled with what to do about the much-anticipated event and considered rescheduling, but with the uncertainty of the situation, chose to cancel this year and work toward a better-than-ever event in 2021.
Angen and her family members look forward to getting together at the table Cheryl designs for the event at 含羞草研究所. Since they couldn鈥檛 be together in person, they chose the virtual option and centered their gathering around the theme 鈥淢om鈥檚 the Word.鈥�
Cheryl鈥檚 sisters, sister-in-law, and a few nieces were in attendance, as were Cheryl and her daughter, Mallory. Each of the virtual guests brought things they had received from their mothers or grandmothers to their tables.
Angen said, 鈥淭he chatty family that we are made it somewhat of a struggle to remain quiet when others were talking.鈥�
Everyone had something interesting to add to the stories told by others. They agreed that was another 鈥済ift鈥� from Mom.
鈥淎ll in all, it was a great 45 minutes of remembering our mothers and grandmothers,鈥� said Cheryl..鈥� This will be one more 鈥榩andemic鈥� memory to tuck inside our hearts, and of course, relive again and again!鈥澛�
Photo captions
罢辞辫:听Cheryl Angen and her daughter, Mallory, enjoyed visiting and reminiscing about 鈥淢om鈥� with family members via Zoom on April 25.
叠辞迟迟辞尘:听All of the participants in the virtual Tables du Jour event attended by Cheryl Angen and her family members decorated a table with items that were either given to them by their moms and grandmas or that reminded them of these special women in their lives.