The joy of giving on Christmas

Christmas is a day about giving to others, gathering with friends and family and enjoying a turkey or ham dinner with all the traditional sides.

All three of those boxes will be checked off for many, thanks to the efforts of the Boulder City History and Arts Foundation.

The non-profit organization will be hosting the fourth annual Christmas dinner, but the second under their watch. It had been hosted for two years by members of the Boulder City United Methodist Church but once word got out that they were seeking to hand the event off to someone else, the BCHAF stepped up to the (dinner) plate.

“I thought if they’re not going to do it, maybe our group could,” said Ray Turner, BCHAF’s president.

The dinner will be held on Christmas from noon to 3:30 p.m. at 1204 Sixth St. in the multi-purpose building, which sits between the pool and the football field. The dinner is free but donations are gladly accepted and will go toward the cost of next year’s event.

Turner, along with fellow BCHAF members Deb Finnegan and Rose Ann Rabiola Miele, led a large group of volunteers who last year served more than 200 people, with even more expected this year.

“We had so many people come up and thank us for doing it,” Turner said. “We feel a lot of people who were there last year will be coming again and will tell their friends about it.”

Last year, they set up tables outside the multi-purpose room, which proved to be a good move as it was not big enough to accommodate the number of attendees inside. To be on the safe side because of weather, they rented a large, costly tent for the overflow this year.

“It was lovely to see a lot of people, many of whom were older, come and donate what they could because they simply didn’t want to eat alone,” Finnegan said.

Rabiola Miele said they had at least a half dozen hams and even more turkey made, along with traditional side dishes like stuffing.

Being a proud Irishman, Turner said potatoes are part of his heritage. But even he has his breaking point.

“It was insanity at my house,” he said, laughing. “It was madness. I proudly said I’d take care of the potatoes. It was suggested I make instant and I said, ‘I’m definitely not making instant.’ I peeled them, boiled them and mashed them all. By the end I was on the verge of a breakdown.”

Despite all the work, the three said there was no hesitation in hosting it again this year.

“My daughter-in-law (who assisted) said it was the best Christmas she had ever had and I agreed,” Finnegan said. “You get back so much more than you give in helping people and seeing the joy it brings.”

“My mission for the last four years has been to share facts and food,” Rabiola Miele said. “I’ve always done that in some form for years but I’ve stepped that up in recent years. It brings me a lot of joy, despite how tired I may get.”

Turner added, “For me, I don’t have any family here, so I don’t have anywhere to be on Thanksgiving or Christmas, so I know what that’s like. It’s nice to provide a place for people to come and celebrate with one another.”

Local entertainer Patrick Mahoney will again be donating his time to sing classic Christmas songs as attendees enjoy their meal.

Turner said they are grateful for those who have agreed to again volunteer their time as well as those who will be busy in their own kitchens, cooking up plenty of food for others. The Boulder City Chamber of Commerce agreed to cover the insurance needed for the event, while the Boulder Dam Credit Union gave $1,000 as well as let the group set up in front of their building to collect donations, while Cindy Ford, owner of Southwest Diner, has again agreed to donate many of the side dishes.

Those wishing to donate monetarily to the dinner ahead of time are asked to do so at BDCU and ask for the Friends of the Arts Christmas dinner saving account. Those looking to donate their time or food, are asked to call 702-461-6842.