An event that’s come to be known as the Andersons’ Community Christmas brought fun, food and fellowship to even more residents in 2017 than the successful inaugural event the previous year.
Minto residents Dave and Jean Anderson report about 225 people attended the Christmas dinner gathering at the Harriston-Minto Community Centre on Dec. 25, with 50 takeout meals served to community members who couldn’t be there in person.
“We couldn’t have done that without the volunteers that helped us,” Dave told a group of food bank organizers gathered at Jamesway Manor in Clifford on Jan. 10 to receive a share of the cash generated at the event.
The dinner is not designed as a fundraiser and the meal, consisting largely of donated food, is offered free of charge.
However numerous cash donations were received, both before and at the event, and a surplus of about $3,000 was divided between food banks in Harriston, Palmerston and Clifford.
That’s about $1,000 more than what was raised at the inaugural dinner, which drew between 140 and 150 people, with about 25 takeout meals served.
“It’s been very successful … and its growing,” said Dave, noting volunteers were there the day prior to the event and on Christmas Day to help set up and clean up.
“We ate at one and were basically out of the place by five all cleaned up. It was phenomenal.”
“The community outreach is just phenomenal,” added Jean. “Clearly there is a need for this … and the message we want to send is that it’s happening again next year and it’s not because of a free meal – it’s so you’re not alone on Christmas day.”
Jean said the event is open to “Whoever needs a meal and whoever needs the socialization,” adding they decided to give donations to the food banks to “spread the goodwill back to the community where it came from.”
