NORWAY — Approximately 90 people from the surrounding area attended a Valentine’s Day brunch celebration at the Progress Center.

The Progress Center celebrated raising $170,000 of the $200,000 needed for the Community Kitchen Project with a brunch prepared with home-cooked Maine foods. The entertainment was also from Maine as Neil Lamb and David Lawlor played jazz guitar for the event.

The Progress Center has received approval to renovate the existing kitchen at their 35 Cottage Street location. When completed, the Community Kitchen, a fully USDA licensed facility, will be available for multiple use. Not only will the Progress Center use the kitchen as a teaching facility for their clients, but farmers and others in the area will be able use the kitchen to preserve their harvests and individuals wishing to expand a kitchen based hobby into a business will be able to use the Community Kitchen.

Helping Hands – Community Table, a project of the Progress Center, has been serving free meals to the greater Oxford Hill community on the first and third Thursdays of every month for more than a year. Presently the meals are prepared and served at the Universalist Church, but they are looking forward to the completion of the Community Kitchen so they will be able to better serve the public at the Cottage Street location. These meals are free but donations are appreciated.

For more information about the Progress Center or the Community Kitchen Project, call Priscilla Burnette at 743-8049, ext. 266.