When I heard about the inaugural "Longest Table" coming to Coeur d'Alene City Park on Sept. 9, it sounded like a great idea. It is described as "an opportunity to bring whole communities together around a meal and conversation that fosters understanding, reduces isolation and strengthens trust.”

According to a press release, the concept launched in 2022 and has since been held in 30 cities across the country.

The release also notes: "Attendees are asked, but not required, to bring a dish to share. Conversation prompts will encourage reflection on America at 250, creating space for meaningful dialogue about the state of our communities and participants’ hopes for the future."

Again, it sounds like a great idea.

It also sounds familiar.

My friend Adam Schluter, a photographer, started Monday Night Dinner in 2018 at his Coeur d'Alene home after moving here and looking for a way to meet people and help others connect. At first, only a handful showed up. Then more came. And more. What began as a simple gathering grew into a community institution.

Today, hundreds turn out for food, drink, music and camaraderie. Strangers have become friends. More than 100 Monday Night Dinners have been held. As attendance grew, the event expanded beyond Schluter's backyard to McEuen Park and later the Eagles Pavilion.

The idea spread well beyond Coeur d'Alene. Monday Night Dinner-inspired gatherings have appeared in Oakland, West Virginia, St. Louis, South Carolina and Southern California.

Last year, Schluter's home was featured on the PBS television show "Ask This Old House." The backyard was renovated with new walkways, an outdoor kitchen, repaired steps and landscaping improvements, all in recognition of the role the space has played in bringing people together.

Schluter was onto something.

He once told me his goal was simple: connect people.

"Everyone can play a part in bringing this world closer together," he said.

Absolutely.

You still have a chance to be part of Monday Night Dinner.

The final gathering of the season begins at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Schluter's home, 1037 N. Third St. Bring a dish to share and a $10 donation for the musicians. In return, you'll enjoy good food, good music and, most importantly, the chance to meet remarkable people. Adam Schluter is one of those people, an encourager whose gift is bringing out the best in others.

And before then, consider pulling up a chair at the Longest Table from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9 in Coeur d'Alene City Park. The event is supported through Innovia Foundation's "Building Trust, Building Community" initiative and presented by United Way of North Idaho. You can RSVP at forms.cloud.microsoft/r/rLRc8gXneM.

In a time when too much pulls people apart, sharing a table still has the power to bring them together. Sometimes community starts with nothing more complicated than food, conversation and an open seat.

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Bill Buley is managing editor of The Press. He can be reached at [email protected].