Volunteers light up the holidays at Bradenton’s Salvation Army Christmas Day dinner
Fueled by the kindness of others, the Salvation Army of Manatee County provided Christmas dinners on Wednesday afternoon as part of an annual charity event for the less fortunate.
“We do this dinner to provide for every need. It could be money or that they’re spending time alone and want to be surrounded by other people,” said Kelly French, the Salvation Army’s director of community relations and development. “Christmas falls at the end of the month, so it’s sometimes hard to make ends meet. We’re here to make sure they have that.”
More than 20 volunteers served meals to whoever walked through the doors of the shelter at 1204 14th St. W. For everyone involved, it felt like a family affair.
“It’s like a sense of community. We’re not with our families, so we celebrate Christmas how we can. Christmas is alive when people pay it forward like this,” said Theresa Dickens, who lives at the shelter.
“I really do enjoy and love the Salvation Army because they reach out to people and I feel like they’ll never turn their back on me. To provide this kind of care is an amazing thing,” added Tracy Watson, another shelter client.
Decked out in reindeer antlers and Christmas sweaters, Wednesday’s volunteer crew served guests restaurant-style in the Salvation Army’s cafeteria, catering to tables with plates of food, drink refills and desserts.
And there was enough food to feed every elf in Santa’s workshop. According to French, the Salvation Army prepared 100 pounds of ham, 80 pounds of yams and 60 pounds of green beans. The nonprofit usually feeds around 300 people on Christmas.
One of the volunteers, Jayne Christenson, brought her husband Joe and their son Evan along to give back, as well. The family also assisted in this year’s Thanksgiving dinner.
Joe said that lending a hand to the needy on the holidays comes with a feeling that he’ll never forget.
“It makes you really feel good when you interact with the community like this,” he explained. “It hits you that these guys really appreciate the work you’re putting in.”
“I feel good, too, because being here is a chance to help other people feel better on Christmas,” said Evan, a 15-year-old student at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School.
That effort wasn’t lost on Salvation Army visitors, who also had a chance to leave with a new blanket and a toy for a child.
“It touches you because it feels like family here. We come in and have this nice atmosphere with folks that could’ve been home with their families, but they wanted to be with us instead,” Watson said.
French encouraged anyone interested in helping the Salvation Army mission to visit the organization’s website at www.SalvationArmyFlorida.org/Manatee-County/ to donate money or sign up for hands-on volunteer programs that are offered on weekdays.
