Join In A Christmas Day Dinner

Volunteers are needed to help with Newtown’s fourth annual ecumenical Christmas dinner sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, St Rose, Congregation Adath Israel, and the Newtown Congregational Church.

“We had more than 160 volunteers at the Thanksgiving dinner but so far I have only received three phone calls [for the Christmas dinner],” co-chairman Charlie Hettenbach said on Wednesday.

The genesis of the Christmas Day dinner was to provide a place for persons who might be alone for the holidays to join together in fellowship. It has grown to include deliveries of meals to the homebound in Newtown and surrounding communities and deliveries of meals to shelters.

A bus also will pick up migrant workers and families at 11:30 am at the corner of Main and Elm streets in Danbury and bring them to the dinner, which will be held from noon to 2 pm in the St Rose parish hall at 46 Church Hill Road. The menu will include boneless chicken breast, mashed potatoes, applesauce, mixed vegetables, gravy, rolls, cake, and fruit juice.

Drivers are needed to deliver meals from Newtown High School, where the meals will be cooked, to the shelters at 8 am on Friday, December 24. Drivers also are needed to deliver meals on Christmas day at 11 am from the St Rose parish hall to the homebound. Volunteers also are needed to help serve the dinner at the parish hall from noon to 2 pm.

Anyone who can help drive should call John Moulder at 426-4727.

All other volunteers, and those who are interested in attending the dinner, or in having a meal delivered, should call Charlie Hettenbach at 426-0732 or Frank Middleton at 426-0098.

Tax-deductible donations can be made to “At Our Gate” and sent to 46 Church Hill Road, Newtown CT 06470.