SUNDRE — After being forced last year to pull the plug on the annual community Christmas luncheon for the first time in the annual event’s lengthy history, a long-time organizer lauded an outpouring of holiday spirit for making possible its return.
“The love, hope and faith of Sundre puts on the Christmas dinner,” said Lourelle Vooys, calling the holidays the “love season.”
The organizers and volunteers who get involved are essentially an informal affiliation of individuals of all ages and walks of life who harbour a shared passion for the community, and do not represent an official society or committee that meets monthly.
“It’s heart to heart to heart,” said Vooys. “The love team is the whole body of Sundre — everybody.”
The team is split up according to age, with “the little gaffers up to the 40-year-olds” primarily providing the muscle, while those between the ages of 40 to 60 offer a mix of brains and brawn and those over the age of 60 share their wealth of wisdom accrued over a lifetime of experience, she said.
But getting cooperation from the provincial government compared with the community tends to be the main hurdle to overcome, she said.
“We have a terrible time with government compared to community,” she said.
So, she attributed divine intervention in helping to facilitate the effort to secure approval to host the dinner under the provincial government’s public health protocols.
The Sundre Community Christmas Dinner takes place Dec. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Sundre Branch #223 Hall. Organizers continue to welcome helping hands, and anyone who is interested in volunteering is invited to call Vooys at 403-638-3378.
And even though COVID-19 public health measures will be in place under the Restriction Exemption Program (REP) for the Christmas luncheon’s return, no one will be sent away empty handed.
“Because Jesus never rejected anybody,” said Vooys.
Even prior to the pandemic, the organizers had to submit for approval no shortage of paperwork to Alberta Health Services as food preparation was involved. But the situation today certainly has complicated matters further, requiring additional considerations, she said.
Although there will be no one-third capacity restriction at the hall or physical distancing required, proof of vaccination will be verified as per the REP, she said.
“We have to set up a team for COVID-19," she said.
Leading that team, she said, is her husband Dale Vooys, who came up with a couple of alternate options to accommodate anyone who isn’t inclined to present proof of vaccination.
“We’re going to have tables and chairs out there on the deck,” she said, adding patio heaters will provide warmth to offer them a chance to enjoy their meal with others.
One way or another, anyone who comes out to enjoy the dinner will not be sent away empty handed, she said, adding they can takeout or even request delivery.
And while the Christmas dinner as well as Cooking for Kindness luncheons are generally understood to be for seniors, that’s not necessarily the case.
The meals were actually started as an effort to provide comfort and community connection for anyone in the Sundre area who either feels socially isolated or perhaps struggles with a mental or physical disability, she said.
Further, Vooys said she recently had a conversation with a close friend who told her that tempted as she has been to attend the Christmas dinner over the years, has refrained because she is financially secure.
“They’re lonelier than heck, and they figure that because they’ve got money, they don’t need to go,” said Vooys. “We’ve got tons and tons of people with money, but they are very, very lonely. So, we don’t discriminate.”
Vooys expressed heartfelt gratitude to all of the businesses and community members who over the years have contributed to ensuring Cooking for Kindness, which is expected to resume later in the new year, and the Christmas dinner continue to offer not only meals but also an important opportunity for people to get together and socialize.
“This teamwork in Sundre has been forever,” she said.
