Holiday spirit fills Winnipeg and feeds hundreds

WINNIPEG – ‘Twas the day before Christmas and all through city volunteers were stirring in kitchens to help.

“It feels really good… I’ll have this memory for a long time,” said volunteer Brenden Merasty, who spent the day with his dad preparing hundreds of meals at Siloam Mission.

He was one of many volunteers making a huge Christmas dinner for Winnipeg’s less fortunate Wednesday.

“It speaks volumes about a city that would care this much to make sure that they get a great turkey dinner,” said  Lindsay Smith,  Siloam Mission’s volunteer services coordinator.

It’s a meal Arlene Buchberger likely wouldn’t have otherwise.

“Friends and family, they’re all busy with their own lives, their own dinners and what not… we’d be home by ourselves,” said Buchberger, who looks forward to the warm meal with her friends every year.

Around 600 people devoured a delicious and traditional dinner at Siloam Mission on Christmas eve.

Among the ingredients — 120 turkeys, 400 pounds of potatoes, 120 pounds of stuffing and 90 liters of gravy.

“It’s great for us to show the kids to give and at the same time we go home and we celebrate and it’s that much better for us to realize what we have as a family,” said volunteer George Merasty.

And the holiday spirit continued in Winnnipeg’s west end where the Sons of Italy handed out 550 hearty dinners to mainly new immigrant families.

“We just came from Africa so this is our first seasonal meal,” said Lual Akwane, who enjoyed food with his family throughout the afternoon.

The annual feast is made more special thanks to a visit from Santa Claus.

“For many families that are here this is their only Christmas celebration so we’re glad to be able to do that for them,” said Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner, West End BIZ executive director.

And help make it a Merry Christmas… for all.