On Monday, March 22, the Women of Seven Lakes will sponsor their annual Taste of the Town event, with all proceeds to benefit the West End United Methodist Church Food Pantry.

The event begins at 4 p.m. with a wine-tasting, provided by Sandhills Winery, followed by the main event from 5 to 7 p.m. at Seven Lakes Westside Park Community Center.

Food will be provided by Nina’s, Olive Garden, Corfu Taverna, Outback Steakhouse, Thai Basil, Magnolia Inn, Broad Street Bakery, The Darling House, Dog Nation Grill, Lady Bedford’s Tea Parlour, Little River Golf and Resort, Penick Village Restaurant, Seven Lakes Pizza Kitchen, Rhett’s Personal Chef and Catering, Table on the Green, Seven Lakes Country Club, Cold Stone Creamery, Smithfield’s Chicken-n-Barbecue, Lula’s, Panera Bread and Starbucks. Additional appetizers for the wine tasting are being provided by Goldie’s Gourmet, Harris Teeter, Fresh Market and Lowes Food Store.

“Every time we open our doors, we sign up someone new,” says Frank Feggeler, coordinator of the WEUMC Food Pantry. “We get families and seniors, all ages and situations. Some come in only once or twice, and others we see more frequently.”

Organized in 1992 and affiliated with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, the Food Pantry is a faith-based ministry and currently serves, on average, 240-250 families in the West End, Seven Lakes, Eagle Springs and Jackson Springs areas. Distribution days are every other Wednesday from 8 to 11 a.m. A standard box includes ramen noodles and pasta, dried cereal and crackers, beans, canned soups and vegetables, coffee, fruit drinks, and cheese, bread, yogurt and frozen meat, if available. Sometimes they’ll even have a birthday cake ready to go, Feggeler says.

The majority of funding for the food pantry comes through the WEUMC parish and is the church’s largest outreach ministry; however, additional support is received from Roseland UMC, food drives and assistance from local groups including the Seven Lakes Kiwanis Club and the Women of Seven Lakes.

Taste of the Town tickets are $20 each. Call Lois Ann Eisel at (910) 400-3094.

Raffle tickets for gift certificates generously donated by local restaurants — both fine dining and casual eateries — will also benefit the WEUMC Food Pantry and are available for $1 each or six for $5. (You do not need to be present to win.) For raffle tickets, call Deanna Petrie at (910) 673-4295.