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Dressed in their bright blue game jerseys, six Carolina Panthers players waited tables Thursday night at a fund-raising dinner aimed to tackle Charlotte's homeless problem.
“The fact of the matter is there are a lot of people out there who are not blessed in the same way we are,” said punter Jason Baker. “It's an opportunity for us, hopefully, in a small way to bridge that gap a little bit.”
Baker and teammates Ryan Kalil (center), Matt Moore (quarterback), Kenny Moore (receiver), C.J. Wilson (cornerback) and Gary Barnidge (tight end) set aside their celebrity status to spend the night as servants.
“I'll tip waiters a little differently than I did before,” said Baker. “It's a cool job, but it can be tough. Here's a restaurant full of people. You're somebody they don't even notice with a big tray of food in your hand.”
More than 200 patrons showed up at Noble's Restaurant for the $250-per person dinner. Among those scheduled to attend were Charlotte businessman Bill Belk, attorney Bill Diehl, former city councilwoman Lynn Wheeler, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent Dr. Peter Gorman, and Panthers coach John Fox.
Kalil said it was an honor to serve a room full of “heavy hitters.”
“They obviously are people who are able to have a much greater affect on the community than any of us are,” said Baker.
The point was to raise funds for King's Kitchen, a nonprofit center-city restaurant being planned by Noble's owner Jim Noble and his wife Karen (kingskitchen.org).
They plan to employ ex-convicts, persons who've come through rehabilitation and troubled youth, providing jobs for the otherwise unemployable. Proceeds will be directed at feeding the city's poor and hungry.
“If we don't think about them, who will?” said Jim Noble. “The homeless problem is not ‘a' problem, it's ‘our' problem.”
Noble held up a cardboard cutout with the handwritten words “please help.” The sign was similar to those regularly held by Charlotte's homeless on city streets. On Thursday night, it was aimed at people with the resources to help address the problem.
“There are great things that are going to happen in this city,” said Noble. “The world is going to notice. Charlotte has a great future in the Kingdom of God.”
Noble hopes to open King's Kitchen this year. He said its signature dish will be pan-fried chicken complemented by locally-grown produce.
The use of Panthers players as servers was an extra lure for people to attend and, ultimately, aid the cause.
“That's fun for those people to see us in there,” said Kalil “They watch us on TV and read about us in the paper and now we're in there taking their drink orders.”
Kalil and Baker also served tables at a King's Kitchen fundraiser last year. Both said it was the only time they'd ever served tables.
“I thought it was going to be a lot easier than it really was,” said Kalil. “It's limited items on the menu, so that can't be too hard. But, let me tell you something, with just limited items and a full crowd, that's a lot tougher than you think it really is.
“I had no idea (about) the small etiquettes and the different little things (waiters) go by. I had no idea you serve to the right.”
But Kalil said he cherished the chance to serve, no matter how humbling the job was.
“Anytime somebody makes an offer for you to come help out in something like (this), I'll jump to it every time,” he said.
