Fountain Valley potluck returns with large servings of community
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The world record for biggest potluck is still up for grabs, but the point of the OC Around the Table event lies much deeper than notoriety.
The second annual community potluck will be held Sunday, Sept. 27 at 3 p.m. at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley.
“Everybody was able to find what they needed to find,” said Mustafa Ulukaya, executive director of Lake Forest-based Pacifica Institute, of last year’s inaugural event. “They came with really different expectations. Since it’s Around the Table, some of them were thinking it was a round table discussion, something like that. When people came, people are dancing, people are listening to music, enjoying the food and coming together. To gather together without an agenda with very diverse people from the community … there’s a thirst about that. Especially after COVID, there’s a big need in the community. I didn’t plan for that, but I have seen this.”
Pacifica Institute is one of the main supporters of OC Around the Table, a community-based initiative that seeks to break down barriers. Organizers also include the Orange County Interfaith Network, Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council, Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce, County of Orange and city of Fountain Valley.
“What we believe is that when we gather together, we see that we have way more commonalities than our differences,” Ulukaya said of Pacifica Institute’s philosophy. “But without getting together, we cannot comprehend it. We cannot feel it.”
The potluck is free to attend, though guests are asked to RSVP on the OC Around the Table website for either a full table, which seats six, or individual seats. Table hosts are asked to bring food to serve their table and invite guests; no monetary contributions are required, though donations are welcome.
The goal, Ulukaya said, is to draw 4,000 people. Last year’s first potluck drew 2,166 guests, short of the Guinness World Record for largest potluck of 3,264 people that was set in India in 2016.
Cuneyt Tegin, a local psychiatrist who is on the organizing committee along with Ulukaya, said the potluck has come back bigger, with more than a dozen sponsors. These include Istanbul Grill, the Fountain Valley eatery owned by Okan Ustun, another member of the organizing committee.
“Because of last year’s event, now we can show evidence to people that we can do it,” Tegin said. “I think that strengthened people’s belief. That was very important.”
Efforts to get the word out increased this year, with a kickoff event in January drawing 160 local business people and city leaders. Lake Forest Mayor Robert Pequeño and Fountain Valley Councilman Ted Bui, both also on the organizing committee, have been instrumental in drawing support in south and north Orange County.
Other committee members include Debbie Killey of Republic Services, Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce Chairman Van Vu, Orange County Interfaith Network President Mark Currie, Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council past president Jynene Johnson and former Huntington Beach Mayor Dave Garofalo.
This year’s potluck is still at Mile Square Regional Park but is moving to the southeast corner of the park, at the Shelter 1 location near Euclid Street and Warner Avenue. This will ensure easy access as UCI Health Fountain Valley, which sits diagonal from the park at the same intersection, is one of the sponsors and is offering free parking for the event.
Garofalo, said the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps are each bringing recruits to the event for a swearing in ceremony.
“I’m involved with this because I believe that when we break bread together, barriers fall and strangers become neighbors again,” Garofalo said.
