The holiday season is all about coming together, sharing joy, and creating lasting memories. On Nov. 27, the town of Arborg embraced this spirit wholeheartedly at the Seniors Resource Dinner. Two hundred and twenty-seven seniors gathered for lunch at the Arborg Community Hall for an early Christmas feast.
There was no shortage of delicious eats to be had. Mouthwatering turkey, meatballs, freshly baked buns and sweet desserts were just some of the offerings available to the diners.
“We had a very good turnout and the response seemed to be very positive with all the seniors,” said Maureen Sigurgeirson, Senior Resource Coordinator for Arborg.
Seniors from Arborg and the surrounding area, including those from the personal care home and assisted living facility, attended the dinner.
Volunteers spent many hours preparing for the holiday feast, spreading out the work over several evenings.
“One night we made the meatballs, another night we made cabbage rolls… We also spent all day Tuesday getting ready for the dinner. We did pull in lots of volunteers to help us with this work. There were four to five key volunteers who really stepped up to the plate.”
Arborg Congregate Meal Program cooks Jacquie Sigurdson and Lena Dueck spearheaded the kitchen work. It was because of them and the strong group of volunteers that all of the meals were produced.
“We had volunteers from the Seniors Resource Council board, as well as four people from the Co-Op Management team come to help us,” explained Sigurgeirson.
She also added that the Co-Op volunteers delivered 16 meals to seniors in Arborg who could not dine at the hall.
“They also contributed to the event by donating towards the purchasing of groceries for the dinner. The Royal Canadian Legion also supported the event by donating funds to make the dinner successful.”
Another group of volunteers who deserve special recognition include a crew of thirteen Grade 8 students from Arborg Early Middle School (AEMS). These students spent their afternoon helping greet seniors, serving beverages and escorting seniors to help get their food.
“They were a huge huge huge asset to have there,” said Sigurgeirson. “I give these students a lot of credit because it was actually early dismissal, and they came out and helped us on their afternoon off from school. Their interaction with the seniors was absolutely incredible.”
Express Photos by Corrine Einarsson
Joanie Gudbjartson and Jackson Ewert were two of the teens who volunteered at the dinner.
“I volunteered at the dinner because I thought having a dinner for the elderly people was a great idea and I really liked that I got the opportunity to help,” explained Gudbjartson. “It is important because when we help, we can do lots of good around the community.”
Joanie and Jackson are both members of the AEMS leadership team, a group of students dedicated to helping out around their school and the community.
“It was an option for all of the leadership group and I wanted to do something for the community,” Jackson added. “It felt good to help with this event. Whether it was just carrying a bin of forks and knives or helping get someone food.”
Throughout the afternoon, guests were also entertained with live music by Country Pride. Sigurgeirson added that the music made the afternoon feel lively as the seniors got up to dance with one another.
To end the afternoon of holiday cheer, 28 poinsettias were gifted to some lucky guests who came for the fest.
“We had 28 businesses who donated these beautiful poinsettias as our centrepieces on the tables. We then gave them away as door prizes by having the seniors pick random names in a draw.”
This gathering wasn’t just about food; it was about fostering connections across generations—a reminder that community spirit thrives through acts of kindness and shared experiences.
