Christmas_dinner

Jeff Green | Dec 17, 2009

Last years' Perth Community Dinner.

The traditional Christmas dinner is designed for a crowd. It’s hard for two or three people to polish off an 18-pound turkey in one sitting.

But for anyone who is able to get to Perth, Sharbot Lake, or Northbrook on Christmas Day, there is a community-based alternative, a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, and an extra helping of fellowship. And for people who live nearby but can’t travel to those places, delivery can often be arranged to many locations.

PERTH: The Perth Community Dinner is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. For the first 22 years, the dinner was held at Farrell Hall in Perth, and the food was cooked at people’s homes and brought to the hall, but it is now held at the banquet Hall at Code’s Mill, and JJ Stewart, the chef at Fiddleheads Restaurant, volunteers to handle all the cooking in the Fiddleheads kitchen.

“I’ve been involved for about 20 years,” said Julia Foley, who is handling the volunteer coordination for the dinner this year, a job her father has just passed on to her after doing it himself for 23 years, “and it is part of my family Christmas.”

The core committee of eight or so people are able to collect cash and food donations around the year to feed 300 people each year, including a number who have their meals delivered. The banquet hall is on the 2nd floor of the building, but there is an elevator available.

The doors open at 11AM. For further information or to volunteer to help out, call 613 – 812 – 5555

SHARBOT LAKE: The Sharbot Lake Christmas dinner is six years old, and is a mid-afternoon meal, with the doors of the Oso Hall (Soldiers Memorial Hall) being open from 2-5PM. “Last year we served 70 people, including deliveries,” said Ileene Mouck, “but most of the people come to the hall.

In addition to a turkey dinner, there are candy bags and presents for children, as well as a carol sing. People are encouraged to bring their voices and instruments as well.

“Last year, a gentleman brought a trumpet, and that really livened things up,” Ileene said.

Like all the community dinners, the Sharbot Lake dinner serves people who are new to the area and want to meet people, people who don’t want to cook, “or people who just want to have a good time.”

For further information or to volunteer, call Phyllis Badour at 613-375-6501, Wayne Shepherd at 613-375-6633 or Ileene Mouck 613-374-1843.

NORTHBROOK: In Northbrook, one person or one family has been at the centre of the Christmas Dinner.

“That’s just how it has gone,” said Marilyn Bolender, who is hosting the dinner this year, with help from a lot of volunteers.

She is not sure how long the dinner has been held in Northbrook at the Lions Hall, but it is more than 10 years.

The two local grocery stores each donate a large turkey to the dinner, and there will be ham available as well, along with squash, stuffing, salads, potatoes and pies.

For information or to volunteer contact Marilyn at 613-336-1573.

With all the volunteer efforts going on in Lanark, Frontenac, and L&A Counties, no one needs to be alone, or hungry, on Christmas Day.