Our Gratitude for our Top Green Apron - Diana Hart

Diana Hart is a familiar face to anyone who has enjoyed coffee hour after the 10am services, or partaken of hors d’oeuvres or buffet meals at events in Chu Hall. A Morristown UU Fellowship member since 2022, and a professional caterer for over 30 years, Diana is soon to celebrate her year anniversary as chef and catering manager here at MUUF.

When Chu Hall and the new kitchen opened, Diana offered a year’s commitment to develop kitchen and catering procedures, and to develop a program to train volunteers in hospitality and kitchen skills, know as “The Green Aprons”. As this year ends, we at MUUF are deeply grateful to her for sharing her professional knowledge, her leadership skills, and her generous commitment of time and energy.

Interestingly, the Green Apron program Diana developed is based on a similar volunteer program that Diana’s father, Doug Hart, was heavily involved with. Called ‘The Red Aprons’, it began at the First Universalist Society of Hartland, Vermont. “My dad was a long-time volunteer, delivering Meals on Wheels, as well as serving as a Red Apron at many UU Thanksgiving meals and at other church gatherings.”

The Red Aprons would also hire themselves out for community events, with their earnings donated to their UU church. “My dad was my example for establishing the Green Apron volunteer group at MUUF. He was an atheist who loved his church and often said ‘I don’t believe in god, I believe in good.’”

Diana was also inspired by her mother, Patricia Hart. Blind at 21, she founded as school for the blind in Bridgeport, Connecticut, which has evolved into a regional music and arts center serving all of Fairfield County. Diana says “My parents have inspired me to live a life doing good works and service to the community.”

Diana’s years of work were primarily spent as an off-premises caterer. She owned her own business, and shared professional kitchen space. “I worked at a variety of venues including the New Amsterdam Theatre, where I catered the Tony Awards Party for The Lion King Show. That was my biggest event. We prepared for 800 guests.”

Diana has also served on the board and contributed catering services to the South Orange Perform Arts Center (SOPAC). Additionally, she has worked preparing meals as a private chef and event caterer. Diana remembers once catering a wedding reception years ago at MUUF. “Last year while Sandra Persichetti and I were clearing out the mansion kitchen, I found a very large, very heavy serving bowl with my company initials on the back. I’m sure my staff left it behind on purpose. It was a beast to handle.”

The COVID epidemic was a game changer for Diana’s catering business. Events were cancelled or indefinitely delayed. To keep her staff busy and to offer services to front-line workers, Diana created “Thanksgiving Thursday”. By soliciting online donations, she and her staff were able to contribute meals to hospitals and fire stations. Jeanne Craft, MUUF board member and pediatrician, remembers the staff at St. Barnabas Hospital receiving meals. Jeanne shares, “The meals donations helped us feel ‘seen’ and supported during that difficult time.”

Diana also utilized her catering skills in a personal way, when she spent a month preparing meals for her father and step-mother as part of her father’s 87th birthday celebration. “Staying with my dad and step-mom during that time allowed me to appreciate the kindness, support, and deep connections my dad shared with Hartland church, and with his fellow Red Apron friends.”

Diana’s experience with the supportive community at the Hartland church inspired her to join MUUF when she moved to Morris Plains with her partner Kerry in 2022. And, following the loss of her father in 2022, it was a welcome distraction for Diana to be busy at MUUF, working with Sandra Persichetti to set up the new kitchen.

Diana remembers, “The first Chu Hall event was the Ribbon Cutting in November 2024. Since then, I have held six Green Apron training weekends with more than 30 attendees, resulting in about 12 to 16 Green Aprons and giving many other attendees some knowledge as to how the new kitchen functions. We have worked at over 30 events, including Souper Sundays, coffee hours, memorial services, two service auctions and several rental events.”

As her volunteer commitment draws to a close, Diana looks forward to processing the experience, stating “It’s time to take stock of the progress we’ve made during the past year. It’s been a period of growth and change for everyone at MUUF, with more to come.” The future looks brighter, thanks to Diana’s leadership. The Green Apron program is a gift to all of us at MUUF, and we are truly grateful.