A Home-Cooked Meal For The Holiday

Newtown’s third annual Christmas dinner fed several hundred people at the St Rose Parish Hall and through deliveries to households in Newtown, Brookfield, Danbury, Bridgeport, and Monroe.

The ecumenical meal for the greater Newtown community was co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Virgilius Council 185 at St Rose, Congregation Adath Israel, and the Newtown Congregational Church.

Chef John Hemberger once again supervised the kitchen where meals consisting of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, applesauce, vegetables, rolls, and beverages were prepared. A dessert table included cakes, pies, and other desserts donated by local residents as well as Newtown restaurants and bakeries.

A busload of migrant workers from Danbury were transported to the dinner and later transported back to the city, carrying armloads of extra meals. Volunteers delivered 61 meals on nine routes through Newtown, Brookfield, Danbury, and Bridgeport.

Rabbi Shaul Praver of Adath Israel and many members of his congregation arrived early to set up the hall and package the meals for delivery.

“We had twice as many volunteers as we needed,” said Mark Rebb, men’s club president at Adath Israel, who organized the drivers. “It is difficult to say who gets more out of this event, the giver or the receiver.”

A similar meal was held on Thanksgiving Day at St Rose. Anyone who is interested in donating to these ongoing events or in learning how they can help, should contact Frank Middleton at 426-0098.