Feast fit for a mom

With enough food to feed an estimated 300 mothers, Friends in Service Helping opened its dining hall doors Sunday to carry on a 15-year tradition of feeding moms for free.

Started in 1987 by June Marie Koury, daughters Mary Jo Fischer and Tish Koury stepped in to fill the shoes left by their mother's 1999 death from cancer at age 72.

"She came in here to work all the time even up until two weeks before her death. She felt better coming here," said Tish Koury, owner of Wags and Whiskers, a mobile pet grooming business. "I usually don't volunteer anymore because I have my own business."

When asked if she will volunteer on Mother's Day as long as she can, Koury said, "I hope so."

But Sunday, they carried on the tradition for June and also get together for Sunday dinners in honor of their mother.

The kitchen crew -- Maggie Marin, Peggy Marin-Avitt and Arlene Connerley -- began preparations on the Mother's Day meal around 7 a.m. Sunday.

By 1 p.m., they were serving up helpings of turkey, mashed potatoes, peas, corn, biscuits and potato salad to a steady stream of customers, both male and female, who filled the 12 booths of the modest room.

Fischer was accompanied by her daughter, Courtney, 7, who pitched in to serve the guests.