Show a little compassion towards Wentworth’s Christmas luncheon
Preparations are underway for Wentworth's biggest Christmas celebration and the community is urged to support the cause.
WENTWORTH’s biggest Christmas celebration is fast approaching and calls of compassion are made to the community to help make it a success.
The annual Christmas Day Luncheon by Christ King the Church’s Care 4 Life team and St Gabriel’s Church’s soup kitchen has ensured hundreds of less fortunate families are fed and loved on December 25 for the past 21 years.
In what has been a challenging year for many, the team has taken additional strain after losing its founding member and pillar of support, Hugo Hayes due to Covid-19 complications.
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Hugo and Yvonne Hayes together with Peter and Angie Finger were the founders of the festive event that has warmed the heart of many community members in Wentworth on Christmas day after realising the great need for the less fortunate.
The very first luncheon was held in Hime Street Park under a gazebo where many families were fed. In recent years it has been held at the Austervile Community Hall as it is the largest venue in the area that can accommodate the growing numbers.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has also brought about hardships for many of us, last and this year. But no one has been impacted more than the most vulnerable in our community. Due to the impact of the pandemic, we cannot host a normal sit down luncheon as we have done in the past. Instead, we had to find a creative way of continuing with this initiative hence the idea of a ‘walk-through’ luncheon was birthed. Last year our team arrived early on the day to set up walk-through stations where families could come to the hall and collect their warm meals, refreshments, treats and gifts. This worked extremely well and still enabled us to achieve our goal of ensuring that vulnerable families were taken care of on this special day.
“We are all Godly people and it is our passion to serve others that keeps us going. Hugo’s legacy needs to live on. This initiative is important because it encourages people to come together and work alongside each other for the betterment of the people from our community especially over Christmas,” said one of the organisers, Melanie Labistour.
The goal for this year is to ensure that nobody goes hungry. “We aim to provide good meals, refreshments, treats and gifts to vulnerable families in Wentworth,” she said.
Although the team has made headway, they are still far from their goal.
Donations still need are 100kg roast chicken drummettes, 50 trays of macaroni, 1000 polystyrene dessert bowls, 1000 plastic teaspoons, 1400 polystyrene containers, 1000 plastic packets, 1000 disposable masks and refuse bags.
They also need toys to make up 500 gifts for children (boys and girls of all ages) as well as toiletries to make up 500 gifts for teenagers and adults. These include bath soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and roll-on.
To donate or for more information contact Peril Ronne on 073 778 5464, Carmel Smith on 082 538 4095, Daria Hayes on 084 454 6064 or Melanie Labistour on 083 662 6899.
