20th Anniversary Community Christmas Dinner

: Truly just in from the cold, Earl Brown and his wife Sue Hay in the line-up for dinner. They showed great dedication to the choir, driving in weekly (if not more), from Toad River in all kinds of wintery weather for practices and performances.

: Cliff Erskine (right) and his wife Deb founded the annual Community Christmas Dinner 20 years ago. They have put countless volunteer hours into the dinner each year since then, and in appreciation, Rob Blain presents the couple with gifts on behalf of the society. Blain commends Erskine for his vision and dedication, “He started it 20 years ago and he’s stuck with it for 20 years – that’s quite a commitment.”

: Left: The dinner runs from 1 pm to 7 pm every year and though it is served by the large windows inside the community hall, the lineup winds well out the door into the lobby.

: A true delight, Sue Hay (far right) leads her ministerial choir while they move from spot to spot in the community hall singing joyous Christmas carols to those dining.

: Fire Chief Gord McLeary picks up the last of the delicious Christmas hams cooked for the dinner at Overwaitea, and ferries them to the community hall before they get cold.

: Right: Charming young princess Jesse describes precisely what she wishes Santa will bring her for Christmas.

: Volunteers sharing the workload throughout the community hall and in the kitchen, including Sandra, Maureen (in her 19th year as a volunteer), Erin, Tammy, and Kathi. One job involves filling containers with Christmas dinners for those unable to attend and those still at work (such as hospital staff). Once the containers are filled they are transported to their destinations.

FORT NELSON – To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Community Christmas Dinner, President of the Emergency Services Christmas Dinner Society, Rob Blain, and RCMP Constable Chance Craig handed out commemorative Christmas tree ornaments to visitors. It takes a great number of volunteers to run the superbly successful community dinner, and each year the society is in need of more hands on deck. Rob Blain says, “We are definitely in need of committed volunteers for next year. The event has grown and it takes a lot more people to run it. For whatever reason some volunteers could not make it this year, and we’ve lost quite a few who were really dedicated.” Some volunteers begin working before dawn and finish well after the dinner is closed, so the society hopes to attract more volunteers to sign on for two-hour shifts next year and share the workload. If you or your business can spare some helping hands, please contact Rob at: rob@robblain.com. Planning for the dinner begins the Sunday following Hallowe’en.

The annual community Christmas Eve dinner was enjoyed by approximately 3,000 community members this year, and the society estimates they went through the following:

• 72 large turkeys
• 132 litres of gravy
• 33 large hams
• 190 kg of carrots
• 380 kg of corn
• 2,000 juice boxes
• 102 dozen rolls
• 3 kg of margarine and,
• a considerable amount of potatoes and stuffing – many many trays …

Every December 24th dinner guests are treated to this free, hot meal!

Photos by Kathy Smith.