Christmas brings with it carols, TV specials and elementary
school pageants
– but the food is pretty important, too. For two decades, Marley
Holte has been bringing the high ideals and delicious tastes of the
season together for his annual holiday dinners, which feed hundreds
in the community who may have nowhere else to go.
Hollister – Christmas brings with it carols, TV specials and elementary school pageants – but the food is pretty important, too. For two decades, Marley Holte has been bringing the high ideals and delicious tastes of the season together for his annual holiday dinners, which feed hundreds in the community who may have nowhere else to go.
“The first year we did this, my wife and I wanted to put on a free dinner for the needy using the money we would have spent on Christmas gifts,” Holte said. “We put it in the newspaper and it just started multiplying… people would call us with a few turkeys to donate, or asking how they could help, and to this day I have never spent a dime of my own money.”
Over the course of 20 years, Holte’s operation has grown exponentially. The 125 people he served in 1985 has become five or six hundred, every year, with an all-time high of 1,083 in 1998. Santa now makes an annual visit to the dinner each year bearing gifts for the little ones and the menu has been expanded to include tri-tip as well as traditional turkey dinner fare. Also, an additional meal is offered on Thanksgiving where only a Christmas feast was offered before.
“I want to stress that this is a community dinner, it’s not just for the needy,” Holte said. “We want this to be a place for people who can’t be with family on Christmas, or anyone who wants to be a part of their community. I think some people are deterred from coming because they think they’d be taking food away from people who really need it, and that’s just not true. We have enough for everybody.”
While the food is served in the Sacred Heart School Gym for people to sit and eat family-style, carry-out dinners are available and meals are delivered to shut-ins, as well.
Behind the operation are a compliment of over 100 volunteers who turn out each Christmas and the day before to make sure everything runs smoothly – some beginning the day’s work at 5am.
“I get parents calling me all the time who want their kids to work and be a part of something like this at Christmas,” Holte said.
A board of directors oversees the planning of the event and begin meeting in the summer to ensure the dinners are ready come the holiday season.
“When we meet it’s usually a social occasion – we’re all good friends,” Holte said. “We’re from all different walks of life and don’t really socialize outside of that, but we’re held together by a common thread of wanting to help the community.”
Many board members are longtime volunteers, like Richard Guzman, who helped Holte put on his very first Christmas dinner.
“I read about what Marley was doing in the paper, and my family had just moved here and I wanted to do something special to celebrate Christmas,” he said. “I furnished six turkeys and some ice cream for the pumpkin pie that first year, but Marley won’t take my food anymore because he puts me to work.”
Despite the time commitment, volunteers turn out year after year, giving up a little piece of their own holiday to brighten up someone else’s.
“I meet people doing this I never would otherwise,” Guzman said. “People who are stranded here and can’t get home for Christmas, and people who just really need someone to be with on their holiday… And I keep coming back because Marley feeds me real good.”
The free Christmas dinner will be held at the Sacred Heart Gym, 670 College St., with a visit from Santa from 11am-12pm, and dinner served from 12-1:30pm. To volunteer, donate food or toys, or request a meal delivery, call Holte at 623-4313.
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or
ds****@fr***********.com
