What started as an idea to the help the community almost a decade ago, has grown into serving hundreds of people.
The annual Christmas Day dinner, in its ninth year, is set for 2-6 p.m. Dec. 25 at the Roadhouse on Highway 11 East.
“Our goal was to have something on Christmas every year,” said Lee Grim, one of the event’s veteran organizers. “Carl Brown, who owned the Roadhouse, came to me wanting to do something for the community.”
Grim said the dinner has gained a reputation of being a popular gathering place on the holiday. Last year, about 700 people were served.
“When we first started out, we were calling places to donate food and help volunteer,” he said. “Now, they call us.”
Grim stressed the event’s the success is a result of the generosity of businesses that donate food and supplies as well as the volunteers who band together on Christmas.
“Our community is very generous,” he said.
The organizer said when the first community Christmas dinner was served in 2006, a committee was established to nurture the success of the event. Now, however, Grim said people involved in the event no longer meet as a committee.
“Now that we’ve got things pretty much under control, we don’t have to meet,” he said. “It just comes together so nicely.”
The dinner is for anyone and everyone who would like to attend. Circumstances do not designate who is eligible to attend the dinner, Grim said. For those who celebrate Christmas only by attending the community meal, the event is as much about fellowship and togetherness as it is about the food.
Just as it has been done in the past, people who would like to attend the meal, but are without transportation to the Roadhouse, can call for a ride free of charge.
Those wishing to reserve a ride should call the Roadhouse at 286-5550 and provide a phone number, address and pick-up time.
And for the community members who are home bound, but would like a meal, Grim said take-out dinners will once again be organized by the members of Elks Lodge 1599.
“We will have meals on wheels again,” Grim said. “The Elks members will provide that and we are very thankful they do.”
Meals will be delivered from 3-5 p.m. To sign up, call Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at 283-8606 or the Koochiching Senior Center at 283-3737.
The Christmas Day dinner is based entirely on volunteers, and Grim said people are still needed to help make it a success. Volunteers are needed to serve food, bus tables, greet people at the door, wash dishes, etc. Anyone interested can call Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at 283-8606 or email the church at holytrinityif@midconetwork.com.
“Our goal is to have something at Christmas every year,” Grim said. “We hope to keep the momentum going.”
