It's important to interact with people whom you can relate to.

That's one of the goals of St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church's military ministry, which will hold its third annual pasta dinner on Friday, Nov. 6, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the church, 5 Brooke Manor, Birdsboro.

"People you know are there. It's a good time to have fellowship, meet people and talk to each other," said Gene Arantowicz, a veteran who runs the church's military ministry.

The ministry is active in the community, holding events like the pasta dinners, as well as "stand down" events on the fourth Saturday of every month in Pottstown, where volunteers feed veterans and give them basic necessities with the help of the Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania.

The ministry also prepares care packages for veterans in need within the local community and helps drive veterans who live alone to their medical appointments.

"If you take a veteran that's elderly, you have a veteran that drives him," Arantowicz explained. "It gives him someone they can talk to, relate to and share stories. Oftentimes, when these folks are sent to their doctor's appointments or hospitals, they'll be put in an Uber or with someone who's not a veteran, and the Uber person won't even talk to them."

For the pasta dinner, members of the church will prepare their finest pasta dishes to share with the assembled patrons. Arantowicz said there will be a capellini dish, chorizo pasta, spaghetti and meatballs, among other Italian specialties. Several desserts and pies, as well as juice, coffee, water and other refreshments, will be available.

"People can go through the line, there's salad and bread and that sort of stuff," Arantowicz said. "Everybody kind of makes their specialty. Just like a Christmas part when a family gets together, everybody makes their best thing and it's a feast."

Everybody is welcome to attend the dinner. A freewill donation will be collected; all proceeds will support the military ministry and its efforts.

"We have it all decorated out," Arantowicz explained. "It's got red, white and blue tablecloths and little toy soldiers. Then I have various flags that I bring out and hang for each branch of service."

There will also be a basket drawing at the event, featuring patriotic items, candles, candies and some themed baskets. One highlight returning from last year's event is the prized chocolate turkey.

"I've got a big, giant chocolate turkey that's about a foot high," Arantowicz said. "(It) seems to be the prized possession, because everybody seems to try and win that. ... It's all in the spirit of raising money for the things that we do."

The church is hoping for at least 100 diners at the event. On a projector screen at the dinner, there will be a looping slideshow that explains more about the military ministry and its causes. The dinner is held annually near Veterans Day, which is on Wednesday, Nov. 11, this year.

Since 2020, Arantowicz has been involved in a separate nonprofit organization that takes veterans and military personnel into deep sea fishing in the summers in Ocean City, Md. He said that the church's pastor took notice and offered to start a military ministry right at St. Mark's.

"I'm a veteran, they're a veteran," he said. "It's good for their spirit, and it's good for my spirit, too."