A group Thompson residents are coming together again this year, after a year's hiatus, to put on the Community Christmas Dinner on Dec. 25 at the St. Joseph's Ukrainian Catholic Hall on Juniper Drive.
Dale Shantz, who has been organizing the event for the past 19 years, says the event didn't run last year due to a lack of volunteers at the start of the organizing process.
This year, he says donations are still needed, such as turkeys, vegetables, coleslaw, oranges, gravy, beverages and desert. The group is also putting out the call for volunteers to help prepare and serve meals, set up tables, seat guests, organize childrens' games and clean up. According to Shantz, it takes about 30 to 40 volunteers to make the dinner a success every year.
"The first year, 18 or 19 years ago, we had 85 people as guestswe just put together a few people and we actually did it at Chicken Chef the first time," say Shantz, the former owner of the Chicken Chef. "We did the cooking and 85 people showed up. It's mushroomed - at times there's been 300 people!"
Shantz says it's important that people realize the dinner is not just for low-income people but also people who find themselves alone on Christmas, who often like to be volunteers themselves.
"People tend to really want to come out and feel good. It's a way also for people who are by themselves at Christmas to be with other people and still feel like they're not taking advantage of a situation," he explains, adding it's also a great event for people that are new to Thompson to get acquainted with their new neighbours.
The community dinner is happening from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Greyhound franchise in Thompson has donated a bus to give free rides to people who wish to attend. Regular bus routes start at 11 a.m. from the Westwood area and 11:30 from the Eastwood area. People are advised to go to their regular bus stops. The last bus will be leaving the hall at 3:30 p.m.
For more information or to inquire about donating or volunteering, call Darren Fulford at 677-6057.
