The Community Christmas Dinner at the Oliver Community Centre on December 19 brought many people together in the spirit of Christmas. Enjoying the feast are, from left, Shelley Powell, Andre Durand, David Hayden and Nola Gant. Photo by Trevor Nichols
As the sun faded from the sky December 19, warm light, holiday music and the smell of cooked turkey wafted from the Oliver Community Centre.
Inside, Oliver Alliance Church’s annual Community Christmas Dinner had just begun, and already the hall was full of people.
Christmas music was barely audible over the sound of clattering dishware and the hum of conversation. At the back of the room, a platoon of volunteers dished out heaping plates of Christmas grub to an ever-growing line of people.
The dinner was free and open to anyone, with catering provided by Jose Rodrigues of Azorean Catering, food donated by Oliver’s two grocery stores, and the space donated by the Town of Oliver. Dozens of church volunteers kept things running smoothly.
Shiela Lange, who has been organizing the dinner for a decade, says the dinner is “like we’ve invited somebody over to our home for Christmas dinner,” and a quick glance around the room revealed that holiday spirit.
Sitting together at the end of one table, a group of white-haired ladies cracks jokes and munch on homemade sweets. One of them, Melva Allane, explains that she was invited by a church member and is delighted to see so many community members eating together.
The fact is she and her friends welcome the chance to sit together and chat over a fresh, hot meal.
“We’re all widows [and] it’s kind of nice for us, because we don’t have to cook,” she says. “It’s nice to get a baked meal. My meals tend to be just one dish, like a salad.”
“When you’re on your own you don’t cook like you do when you have a family,” Beryl Bubar chimes in.
As Bubar talks, Beatrice Steele reaches out and, with a mischievous grin, snatches a marshmallow square off of her plate.
“This is the last one,” Steele says with a laugh.
“She knows these are my favourite,” Bubar says in mock protest as Steele returns her ill-gotten goods.
On the other side of the room, David Hayden, sporting a Santa hat on top of his ballcap and sunglasses, calls out to a friend across the room.
“I told you to come here!” he shouts, standing up and waving energetically.
Tucking into his dinner, Hayden explains how he moved from Manitoba seven years ago and “fell in love with the valley.”
As his tablemate explains why they are at the dinner, he sweeps his hand over the table and looks up with a gleam in his eye.
“I’m here ‘cause I wanted something to eat,” he exclaims! “God Bless everybody; God bless the food. Let’s eat!”
Sitting next to him, Shelley Powell says she came from Penticton because she loves seeing all the people and eating the great food.
“The people here are very, how do you say it?”
“In the Christmas spirit,” adds Andre Durand.
Back at the food station the line grows ever bigger. Smiling volunteers continue to dish out the grub. One of the mottos of the event: there’s always enough for everyone.
By Trevor Nichols
