By Lynda Moses – Vermilion, Alta.
For 25 years, our family has shared our Christmas dinner with our community of Vermilion, Alta. This was my late husband Ron Moses’ dream back in the 1990s. For Christmas 1996, we invited people to join us at the Legion hall for a free turkey meal. Fifty people came, and we’ve continued ever since.
Restaurants were closed and taxis didn’t run, so we provided meals, rides if needed, and deliveries to shut-ins. The day started with entertainment at noon with a meal following. We soon learnt that not everyone likes turkey, so added ham, then meatballs, and later a different wild game meat each year.
Individuals and groups provided baking, desserts, cabbage rolls, pyrogies, or cooked turkeys. The most meals served were 235 in 2015, with 177 in the hall and 58 deliverers to towns, some 60 km (40 miles) away.
The menu consisted of what was offered, like squash, but always included turnips. One couple looked forward to their Christmas dinner with turnips like the old days.
They came to enjoy meal and fellowship
People wanted to be a part of the dinner, so they came to help and enjoy the meal and fellowship. A family came one year to show their boys what an “old-fashioned” Christmas was like. They brought a Christmas carrot pudding.
For three years, a group of young people (Katimavik organization) from across Canada who were in our community for the year, came to help, be together, and have a Christmas meal. There was a children’s table to keep the young ones busy colouring, doing puzzles, or icing cookies during the entertainment hour. All left with a bag of candy.
Many people and families entertained over the years; one man leading for seven years. The year her husband passed away, a widow showed up to play piano. She stayed for 15 years. Another lady faithfully played piano for our Christmas carols singalong; young musicians played their instruments or sang; and a couple did puppets one year.
Some of my more memorable guests and moments over the 25 years have been:
• A B.C. man was travelling to Ontario when his car broke down. While being fixed, he went to work for a local company. He hadn’t been paid or eaten in two days when he saw our poster in the hotel, so he joined us. Grateful for the meal, he stayed to mop floors after.
• A woman whose husband passed away in May, didn’t know how she would get through the holidays. Their anniversary was Dec. 24. She offered to wash dishes so she wouldn’t be alone, and came back for eight more years to help. Another lady had also lost a son that year, and was grateful for the fellowship and dinner.
• One friend wanted her family to come home for the holidays but wasn’t able to do the cooking so she brought the family to our dinner.
• A family came because the husband had just had hernia surgery and was unable to lift the turkey in and out of the oven. They brought a sweet potato dish to share with us.
A chance to honour him
Ron passed away in August, 2005. I wasn’t sure about continuing as Ron had said it was the last supper. It was for him! Members of the local Rotary Club offered to help if I would organize it. The answer was obvious; it was a chance to honour Ron, and the community was willing to help to keep his dream alive.
We continued for 24 years, then in 2022, because of the COVID-19 virus, a local caterer phoned to say she would do the cooking in her kitchen if we would do the organizing to make sure all on our list got a Christmas dinner. We supplied the food, and with the help of 11 teams, delivered 129 meals.
Thanks to Vermilion for your generous giving and all the volunteers over the years to keep Ron’s dream alive! We are so grateful to have been a part of this adventure.
