Nearly 500 people are expected to attend the Marley Holte
Holiday Dinner on Christmas Day, an annual community feast designed
to foster togetherness.
Nearly 500 people are expected to attend the Marley Holte Holiday Dinner on Christmas Day, an annual community feast designed to foster togetherness.
“I’ve had people come up to me after the dinner and say, ‘Thank you, this is our family get-together,'” said organizer Larry Brown, who is helping continue the tradition begun in the mid-80s by Marley Holte.
Holte, an educator, Realtor and politician who died in 2006, decided along with his wife to pool their holiday money one season and feed the needy instead of buying gifts for themselves. From that idea sprung The Marley Holte Community Assistance Program, which began by providing meals around Christmas time and has since expanded to offer a Thanksgiving meal.
“Last year we served over 500 people,” and a similar amount is expected at Sacred Heart School’s O’Reilly Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 25. “We get individuals, families, a lot of people who come right over after church to have Christmas dinner.”
While holiday meals offer a free, hearty meal for the needy, they are open to everyone in the community – regardless of their financial situation.
“It’s for everybody,” Brown said.
Volunteers are still needed for the Christmas dinner, including the set-up of the hall at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
For more information or to volunteer to help before, during or after the dinner, call Larry Brown at 637-9037.
For the full story see the Pinnacle on Friday.
