One of Thompson's most heartwarming - and stomach-filling - holiday traditions is back this year for another helping of turkey, stuffing, and yuletide cheer.
"We provide a meal for anybody in the community," says Darren Fulford, who is co-ordinating this year's effort. "We usually feed the homeless population, and people who maybe can't afford a home-cooked meal that day. Maybe they don't have family in town, they're alone during Christmas, they can come down there and be amongst people."
The dinner takes place Christmas afternoon from 12-3 p.m., at St. Joseph's Ukrainian Parish Hall. It is run entirely by volunteers, and everybody is welcome to volunteer or to eat - the volunteers also get to eat.
"The volunteer and community support we had last year was unreal, and we're asking people for the same thing this year," says Fulford. In 2009, over 120 people came out to eat. Twelve turkeys were prepared for last year's feast - the same number they're shooting for this year - and enough was left over that volunteers were able to deliver some to the homeless shelter, the hospital emergency room, the fire department, and the RCMP holding cells.
There are a number of roles to fill with volunteers, including cooks, servers, hosts and greeters to name a few. Greyhound is providing free transportation to and from the hall along the regular bus routes.
The food - which includes turkeys, stuffing, perogies, cabbage rolls and much more - is entirely donated from the community. Fulford says that due to public health regulations, anyone interested in donating food is asked to bring it in frozen so that it can be fully cooked on-site.
The Community Christmas Dinner has been running for 20 years - though it didn't take place in 2008 due to a lack of volunteers - and was originally the brainchild of Dale and Bea Shantz, starting out at Chicken Chef, which they owned at the time. This is Fulford's first year as organizer, though the Shantzs continue to be involved. Anybody interested in volunteering or donating is asked to contact the Canadian Mental Health Association.
