Annual Christmas Day meal returns for 10th year

ANTIGONISH, N.S. — ANTIGONISH - Christmas can be a lonely time for individuals if their family is away, they live alone or are new to the community. 
For the 10th year, St. James United Church will be offering a hot meal and a time of connection and community through their community dinner on Christmas Day. Between 30 to 40 volunteers take time away from their own family Christmas to provide a Christmas dinner for anyone who is alone or needs a meal.
The meal has become a tradition in the community, according to Cary Connors of St. James United Church, co-ordinator of the event. 
“This community Christmas Day dinner means much to our town. As I'm talking with people, I'm learning more and more that so many are wanting to connect and be a part of this great community. There are people who are new to Antigonish, people who have families who aren't here this Christmas, or parents with children who are no longer at home who so greatly value getting together with new friends and friends ‘yet to be’ on Christmas Day. Not only is there a delicious and wonderful meal made by people who care, but they also get to feel community and to build relationship and connection - which is one of our greatest desires,” said Connors. 
Betty Webber, one of the founders of the dinner and a longtime volunteer, remembers the first dinner. 
“We started 10 years ago. Our family doesn’t do our dinner on Christmas Day – we do it Boxing Day and we knew there a lot of people who were alone,” said Webber. 
Webber, her daughter, Carolyn, and other volunteers put together the first dinner. 
“I think we had about 60 people that first year. The numbers keep growing each year.
“I remember the first dinner. This wonderful gentleman came in all dressed up with a red bow tie. It just meant so much to so many people. The relationships that were created, the way people interacted with each other, the fellowship all became such a special thing,” said Webber.
Webber, her daughter and now her granddaughter continue to volunteer for the event. 
“I’m still involved with it. My granddaughter and I often buy groceries for it. There are so many people involved – setting up and decorating, donating food, cleaning up. The university cooks the turkeys for us. Everything is donated. There’s enough money to cover everything,” said Webber. 
The dinner has grown from 60 Christmas meals to 150. 
“We regularly serve from 125 to 150 people and we also provide take-away meals with the leftovers so that we can take it to people who might not have been able to make it or are shut in,” said Connors. 
The event is now fully staffed with volunteers and some volunteers even have to be turned away. 
“We're very thankful for such a generous community,” said Connors. 
Getting volunteers has never been a problem and volunteers don’t mind giving up part of their Christmas Day for the event. 
“People want to give back. They want to do something more than just get a gift or to give a gift. They want to bless someone. We make time for what's important to us. Making a difference in someone else's life in this way through a hot meal and through connection and meeting people is important to people, as they're making time on Christmas Day - to cook part of the meal, to serve, to clean, to set up, to tear down, to meet their neighbour, to sit and chat. We live in the best community who sees great value in others and are actually willing to put action to it,” said Connors. 
The task of cooking the turkeys is once again being handled by the Sodexho Food Services staff at St. FX.  However, donations of other foods and money are still needed to make the event a success. Food needed include cooked vegetables and potatoes, pies, punch ingredients such as ginger ale, Sprite, cranberry juice and frozen juices, and rolls. 
“We need enough rolls for at least 150 people,” said Connors. Donors can contact Connors at 902-870-7688 or [email protected]  for specific needs and information regarding when and where to drop off donations. 
Unused donations will go to St. James hot meal program, which runs twice a week, from September until June, and once a week during the summer months. 
“I'm just overwhelmed with the generosity of so many people in our community from donating food and resources and their time and for St James United Church for giving the space for this wonderful event. There are so many people who look forward to this every year either being a part of it or getting to enjoy a meal. An exciting thing is that we get to be a part of this. We get to serve our community. We get to serve a meal and build relationships. We get to make a difference in one person's life or 150 people's lives. That's a privilege and we get to do it here in Antigonish,” said Connors. 
The community is invited to the dinner. 
“If your family is away for Christmas and you're all alone, or if you're new to the community, or with no place to go, St. James United Church invites you to join us for a Christmas Day dinner at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 25. We would be honoured to have you with us,” said Connors.