A diverse crowd turned out for the holiday community meal hosted by Many Hands Resource Center (MHRC) held last Tuesday.
Morden Alliance Church was the venue for this festive gathering organized in the spirit of fostering unity and spreading joy.
"The goal was to create a warm and inclusive space where people come together [and] create cherished memories," explained Mariyam Tsygankova, MHRC executive director. "This was our way to express gratitude for the incredible support which the community has provided throughout the year. I can say this was the way of giving back and celebrating the strength and togetherness that I think defines this wonderful community."
The evening includes door prizes and children's goodie bags, supplied by sponsors for what Tsygankova describes as a "beautiful event."
Of the seventy-five volunteers in their data base, Tsygankova says at least half of them - maybe more - were involved in preparing the meal.
"We have 115 people registered and we were pretty full. Lots of different people have witnessed the situation when people do not speak English and they are at the table with people who speak English and they are communicating, they are telling stories, they are laughing. It's amazing! So many different people came here. In the beginning they were a little bit shy, maybe not sure if this is the right place, if they want to be here. But in the end, I saw that people are very happy, they enjoy the meal, the atmosphere, the company. That was amazing."
Tsygankova. was thrilled to see people who speak different languages drop their guards - laughing, telling stories and enjoying each other's company.
"Food definitely brings people together, especially if it is holiday meal. People gather at the same table to share - and this is not only about the food. Food just brings people together, right? This is the reason to love, to tell stories, to share something. This is something magical. This is magic for me."
The event was sponsored by a host of local businesses, including Coffee Culture Café & Eatery, Decor, Elias Woodworking, Farm Credit Canada, Focal Point Comprehensive Vision Care, Giant Tiger, Leparq Pizzeria, McDonald's, Morden Winkler Coop, Ruff Mutts Morden, Sawatzky Furniture, The Brick, and Stephen Street General Store.
The Resource Centre and food bank will be closed from December 25th until January 2.
~With files from Robyn Wiebe~
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