The Sharing Table
The sharing table has been a part of every Cross Quarter Club gathering since the start. It’s an idea that fits within our club values, but the inspiration actually came from my grandmother. Today, I’m sharing the story behind the sharing table and why it’s so meaningful to me.
The Story of the Sharing Table
After my grandfather died, my grandmother started spending a lot more time at the local Senior Center. My cousins and I used to tease her about how popular she was becoming because suddenly she was always busy with something going on down at “The Toenail Club”. (A nickname coined by my older cousin, after the time the center offered free manicures and pedicures for the seniors). My Gram was always a big fan of the Senior Center’s free table. It was a place where members could bring extra clothes and household items they weren’t using anymore to offer up to the community. Gram utilized that table well, giving and receiving plenty over the years. She would even bring us grandkids little things she got off the free table from time to time. The striped quarter-zip pullover that I like to wear when I’m gardening was one such gift. I still smile and think of her every time I put it on.
I love the free table for what it represents: sharing resources within a community and even the concept of sharing as a way to build and strengthen a community.
When we look out for each other, and make sure everyone has what they need, we are practicing reciprocity in a way that creates a ripple effect across all the other groups, families, and societal systems that we are a part of. This is the spirit of community care — something humans were wired for but a practice that we’ve become disconnected from in our late capitalist society where every aspect of our lives has become commodified and consumable.
So this is why the sharing table is a part of every Cross Quarter Club gathering. I always plan a theme that fits our club’s focus on gardening & seasonal living and the time of year we’re in (like a seed exchange in winter and garden bounty share in summer) but other items are welcome too! In the past, attendees have shared favorite family recipes, homemade bath & body items, preloved children’s books, and rooted cuttings. You are encouraged to bring 1 item for the table, but it’s not a transactional thing — it’s no issue if someone doesn’t have anything to share, just like it’s no issue if someone has an abundance to share!
When you arrive at a Cross Quarter Club event, you can drop off any items for the sharing table before tucking in for the workshop. Then after we’ve had our fill of snacks, drinks and good conversation, everyone will have a chance to “shop” the sharing table before we say farewell. And please, don’t be shy! The idea is that the table will be empty at the end of the event, so maybe bring a little basket or extra tote bag with you too. Take whatever you like, and as much as you like! Take things to share with friends and family and continue the ripple effect!