Organizers of a community Christmas dinner here on Dec. 25 are calling the inaugural event a resounding success.
“It surpassed our expectations, certainly for a first time event,” said Town of Minto resident Jean Anderson, who organized the event with her husband David.
Jean said between 140 and 150 people, including volunteer helpers, enjoyed the meal at the Harriston-Minto Community Centre, while another 25 meals were delivered to shut-ins or people working on Christmas Day.
“We had to set up a couple of extra tables to accommodate everybody,” said Jean. “It was successful. It was everything we wanted.”
While most of attendees were from the local community, some came from further afield, including Wingham, Hanover and Belwood.
“Most were local, the vast majority were; but it was surprising how many people came from other areas,” said Jean.
An open invitation included those with no close family to celebrate with, people who attend Christmas celebrations on a day other than Dec. 25, or singles or couples who find it impractical to cook a holiday meal for one or two people. Anderson stressed the event is about social, not financial, situations and primarily an opportunity for fellowship. In that regard, it was a tremendous success, she said.
“There was a constant chitter chatter in the hall. People were clearly having a good time socializing. They ate well. They took food home. It was marvelous.”
While they had been prepared to fund and stage the dinner themselves, the Andersons found volunteers and donations were plentiful once word of the impending event got out.
“We had more help than we knew what to do with and the community was just phenomenally generous,” said Jean.
Despite the large turnout, Anderson said they overestimated how much food would be needed, resulting in plenty of leftovers.
“I didn’t have any idea how much food we’d go through. I don’t customarily cook for that many people,” she noted.
“We cooked six great big turkeys, 26 pounders … plus two chickens plus two smaller turkeys that people gave us … people were just showing up with turkeys at David’s store.”
Jean said a woman from the Pike Lake area donated a tote full of knitted hats, mitts and scarfs that were handed out at the event.
Numerous cash donations were also received, both before and at the event, and Anderson said a surplus of about $2,000 will be split between the food banks in Harriston, Palmerston and Clifford.
Anderson said the success of the dinner means plans are already underway to host a similar event next year. They are mulling over adding a choir to sing Christmas hymns or holding a sing-along, organizing board games, or opening up the Norgan Theatre for activities.
“Clearly there’s a need in the community so our plan is to repeat it next year, probably at the Palmerston arena just to move it around the community,” said Jean.
“We’ll get a little better organized next time. We’ll have more jobs and sort of divide them up and maybe not do so much ourselves.”
