San Benito County residents have helped prove Marley Holte’s
spirit of giving is still with us.
San Benito County residents have helped prove Marley Holte’s spirit of giving is still with us.
Approximately 100 volunteers turned out to help with Thursday’s inaugural Holte Memorial Dinner at Sacred Heart School’s gymnasium. With 100 turkeys at their disposal, they prepared sit-down and take-out dinners for 180 people and delivered bags of food to an additional 80 individuals and families in the county unable to attend.
Although Holte – who began the holiday dinner tradition in 1985 when he and his wife decided to feed the needy instead of buying gifts for each other – died in September, some felt he was still present.
Ruben Lopez, an organizing committee member who has been involved with the dinner for a decade, lived a few houses down from Holte in San Juan Bautista. He spoke of Holte’s kindness and ability to bring the community together.
“As far as we’re concerned he’s watching us,” Lopez said. “His spirit is here.”
Greg Garrett, of Hollister, stopped in to lend some improvised, jazz-inspired piano to the dining room. Garrett, a 41-year-old self-taught pianist, has been coming to the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for 13 years. Holte was principal at R.O. Hardin School when Garrett was in the seventh and eighth grades.
“He’s been such a strong spirit for such a long time,” Garrett said. “I don’t really feel a loss.”
On Thursday, John and Mike Mansmith, of San Juan Bautista, smoked 25 turkeys in a Southern Pride smoker just outside of the gymnasium. Local Girl Scouts brought in 49 pumpkin pies for dessert.
“The biggest blessing has been that, as we’ve made phone calls, people have been doing what they always have been,” said Mandy Rose, a member of the dinner’s organizing committee.
People are willing to give, Rose said; they just need to be asked. In previous years Holte knew who needed to be contacted, Rose said. But once the calls were made, the dinner seemed to go on auto-pilot, she said.
There were not as many volunteers this year as at previous dinners, but just enough showed up to make the dinner run smoother than any in recent memory, Rose said.
The dinner saw many familiar faces.
“The same people come and do the same job,” said Diane Berdard, an organizing committee member.
John Gregg, food bag delivery coordinator, said there is a little magic in being of service.
“For me there’s always a sense of excitement about the number of people who volunteer,” Gregg said.
Gregg helped to coordinate the delivery of food bags to those unable to attend the dinner. Organizations such as Meals on Wheels helped produce a list of those in need of help with their holiday meal.
Eduardo Servin delivered food bags to 22 families living in the migrant workers camp on Thursday. Servin said it was a pleasure to see the smiles of the families and their children.
“More than anything it’s a good feeling because the people don’t expect anything,” Servin said.
Rose said the dinner has been focusing on the delivery service to reach more people.
Carole Willette has been coming to the dinners for 13 years. Willette now runs the food service table.
“I started out as a recipient,” Willette said. “And I couldn’t just sit there and not help.”
The dinners are not only for those in need, but also for those who can’t spend the holiday with family, said Gayle Hendricks, an organizing committee member.
Two decades after Holte began the holiday dinner tradition, his spirit is as strong as ever.
“In the end it’s a people-to-people thing,” Gregg said.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or
mv*********@fr***********.com
.
