Two organizations in Morden and Winkler brought people together in fellowship for a holiday meal this past week.
Many Hands Resource Centre in Morden hosted its community meal last Tuesday, and Central Station Community Centre in Winkler welcomed people on Monday.
Central Station had been preparing for at least 300, if not more, while Many Hands had 215 registered for their supper, which was held at the Morden Alliance Church.
“It’s a very heartwarming place to be,” said Central Station’s Leane Funk. “I’ve been involved with Central Station for a little while now, and I had seen one Monday night dinner and it was very sweet. People from all walks of life come by, and we really encourage everyone in the community to come by … it’s more about meeting your neighbours.”
Mariyam Tsygankova, executive director of Many Hands Resource Centre, agreed these community meals are not just about feeding people.
“It’s in the spirit of fostering community and spreading the joy. That is why we organized this event,” she said. “Our idea was to create a warm and very inclusive space where people could come together and share the festive spirit and create cherished memories.”
Central Station served a traditional Christmas supper that included meatballs, potatoes, stuffing, and more.
“It’s the traditional Monday night meal that the station offers to the community but just a more festive version of it,” said Funk.
“All of the food was donated, and we had volunteers working in the kitchen for a few days leading up to it,” she added. “It is a challenge, and without the volunteers it definitely would not happen, but Marian Hildebrand, who is the lead in the kitchen, is very organized, and everything had been prepped ahead of time.”
Funk observed that it is heartwarming to see people coming together to support and connect with others at a time of increasing need, as she noted food bank use in general across the country has increased substantially.
“And watching the volunteers around here is pretty mind blowing … the dedication is incredible.”
Tsygankova shared that their turnout was quite a bit more than last year, and she also was grateful for the community support.
“There are many volunteers. We had a very dedicated planning committee,” she said. “We have 75 volunteers in our database, and half of them for sure were involved in the process of preparing this event.”
Generous donations from numerous corporate sponsors also made it possible.
“We are very appreciative of their help,” Tsygankova said. “Without them, it wouldn’t happen.
“Another thing with this initiative was it is a way to express our gratitude to the incredible support we get from the community throughout the year,” she added. “This is a way of us giving back and celebrating the strength and togetherness that defines this wonderful community.”
She shared that there were a lot of newcomers at the table, but plenty of longtime Mordenites as well.
“This event was open to everyone … from previous experience, I know people who were sitting at the same table but they didn’t know each other at all. Some don’t really speak English, but they still communicated,” said Tsygankova. “I was able to see them smiling and joking … they find a way … and some of them have found new friends.”
Photo by Lorne Stelmach/Voice
