The 28th Annual Community Christmas Dinner was Dec. 25 at St. Pauls Lutheran Church. (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – Approximately 825 meals were served at the 28th annual Community Christmas Dinner Dec. 25 at St. Pauls Lutheran Church.
Approximately 150 volunteers assisted during the event. A traditional Christmas meal was served, including turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish and a variety of desserts including pumpkin pie.
“It’s just a joyous atmosphere,” Christmas Dinner Chairman Ed Meedel said. “It’s just not possible without volunteers.”
Meedel said that the purpose of the event is to “celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.”
Work started Dec. 22 with setting up banquet tables in the church’s Fellowship Hall. Food preparation occurred Dec. 23, along with placing items such as placements, silverware, and centerpieces on tables. Volunteers began working at the church at 7 a.m. Dec. 25 preparing food. The day concluded with remaining food being taken to the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Department, Grand Island Fire Department, and Crossroads Mission.
A family from the church started the dinner 28 years ago to honor a family member who had died at a young age, Meedel said.
“Over the past 28 years, it’s just grown,” Meedel said about the dinner.
The event is free, but free-will cash donations are accepted.
Businesses have supported the dinner with actions such as providing ham at no cost and reduced prices on food. More than 800 pounds of turkey and 1,000 rolls were available to serve at the meal, Meedel said. A wholesale food company is very generous with its support.
“Families can be together,” he said.
Chloe Aguilar of Grand Island began volunteering with her family at the Christmas Dinner about 10 years ago. A large contingent of family and friends show up to volunteer at the Christmas Dinner. They were at the church at 7 a.m. Dec. 25, and their efforts particularly focused on helping in the kitchen.
The Aguilar group includes Chloe’s parents, brother, aunt, husband, children, and friends.
“I’ve always liked to do this with my kids,” Aguilar said. She said she has seen people who need help at Christmas, and she wants to help them.
Aguilar likes to instill in her family the value of helping other people.
“It’s a feeling that I can’t explain,” Aguilar said.
Families with children could interact with Santa Claus and select one toy per child to take home. Members of the church choir sang Christmas carols to add to the festive atmosphere.
Volunteer Curtis Cellar, who is on the Christmas Dinner committee, plays a key role including his work on Dec. 25 preparing food in the kitchen and transferring it in roasters and pans to the roasters in the serving line.
Arden and Ethel Svoboda of Milford are members of St. Pauls Lutheran Church. They have volunteered at the Christmas Dinner for the last five years, usually volunteering to dish up food in the buffet line.
Arden Svoboda said he enjoys getting to see old friends that he met when they lived in Grand Island.
Nate Balcom, his wife, and their four children have volunteered at the Christmas Dinner for approximately 15 years. They volunteer at the beverage station, where drinks such as coffee, water, and punch are prepared and available for volunteers to serve to people.
“It’s helped our family focus on the reason for the holiday and giving back on Christmas Day,” Balcom said.
The Rev. Jeff Pedersen is the senior pastor at St. Pauls Lutheran Church.
“We just want to focus on Jesus Christ,” Pedersen said. “It’s a beautiful way for people to come together to celebrate Christmas.”
Pedersen has highlighted his hobby with model trains by setting up two train tracks with Christmas Village décor set up on the interior of the train tracks. A large Christmas tree is in the center of the table where the railroad tracks are placed. He said his wife, Andrea, helped him set up the display. Pedersen said he has been fascinated with trains since he was a child and received a train set as a gift. He considered working for a railroad before deciding to pursue a career as a minister.
“This dinner is an outpouring of love from our church members and people from the community to show caring for others,” Pedersen said.
