Baked goods, volunteers needed for annual dinner
NAUGATUCK — About 30 years ago John and Maureen Ford wanted to do something to show their two children the true meaning of Christmas. So the couple decided to organize a community Christmas dinner for anyone who wanted to socialize and share a meal on the holiday.
“We didn’t know whether anybody would show up,” John Ford recalled.
About 100 people turned out for the first dinner at St. Michael’s Church, and the annual Joy of Christmas Dinner was born.
“We thought that was a tremendous success,” Ford said of the first dinner, “and it’s taken off ever since then.”
The dinner, which is now sponsored by The Ecumenical Conference of Churches of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls, has grown over the years. About 400 meals were served last year, including about 200 that were delivered, said Mike Kelly, chairman of the Christmas Day Dinner Committee.
This year’s dinner is Christmas Day, Dec. 25, from 12 to 2 p.m. at St. Michael’s Church, 201 Church St. The dinner is free and open to anyone who wants to share some Christmas cheer and a meal.
“The whole goal is that nobody needs to be alone on Christmas Day,” said Kelly, who has been involved with the dinner for 20 years or so.
Meals will also be delivered to residents in Beacon Falls and Naugatuck who can’t make it to the dinner, Kelly said.
The menu for the dinner consists of roast turkey, ham, sausage stuffing, fresh mashed potatoes, carrots and turnips. Over 400 pounds of turkey and hundreds of pounds of side dishes will be cooked for the annual meal.
It takes a platoon of volunteers to make the dinner a success each year, and many volunteers return each year to lend a helping hand.
“It’s amazing the people that continue to come back year after year,” Ford said.
Although many people come back every year volunteers are always needed.
Volunteers are needed on Christmas Eve to peel potatoes and vegetables. Volunteers can just show up at the church at 9 a.m., Kelly said. Volunteers are also needed Christmas Day to help set up the hall, serve food, clean up and deliver meals. Volunteers can go to the church at 10 a.m. Christmas Day to help set up and at 11 a.m. to help deliver meals. Volunteers are more than welcome to stay and enjoy the meal, Kelly added.
The dinner committee also relies on volunteers for one key piece of the dinner — dessert.
Kelly said bakers are needed to donate cakes and pies. Cakes and pies can be dropped off at the church on Christmas Eve from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. No cream-based pies can be accepted, he said, because the committee doesn’t have the means to refrigerate them over night.
Monetary donations are also in need. Checks can be made out to Christmas Day Dinner, C/O Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan, Attn. Sandra Vaz, Manager, 303 Church St., Naugatuck, CT 06770.
For more information on the dinner, to volunteer or to sign up to receive a meal delivered, call Kelly at (203) 723-1640 or (203) 509-3087.
The first dinner proved to be a success in more ways than one. The Fords’ children — Dan and Jodie — were involved in organizing the annual meal for many years. The Fords have taken a step back in recent years. John and Maureen have been granted “chairmen emeritus” status for the event and passed the torch to volunteers like Kelly.
“I get a lot of joy out of it,” Kelly said. “It really is the Christmas spirit.”
Ford attributed the longevity of the Christmas dinner to the support it has received from the community.
“To me, it’s important that the community gets behind something like this,” Ford said.
Ford recalled people asking him how he could give up his entire Christmas for the dinner. Ford’s answer was simple. He would respond Christmas is a social time to meet new people and be committed to others.
“That is Christmas,” he said of the dinner.
