Volunteers prepared and delivered 25 complete Christmas dinners to people in the Emo and surrounding area, as well as serving 55 others a traditional sit-down turkey and ham meal with all the trimmings at Knox United Church on Christmas Day.
As people feasted on the desserts (Christmas pudding, pie, cake, cookies, and special chocolate favours), the oldest participant, 102-year-old Maurice MacMillan, began the program by flawlessly reciting “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

He was followed by Ging Cabral Taylor, the mother of the youngest participant, Tristan Taylor, age three weeks. Ging described Christmas traditions from her childhood in the Philippines.
Dave Loney read from his recently-completed memoir of life in Emo and a visit to Ireland. His son, Shaun Loney, shared reflections on gift-giving, stretching from long ago Bethlehem to his current work in inner city Winnipeg.
Emcee Dorothy Friesen then gave people an opportunity to tell others at their table about a memorable Christmas gift they had given or received.
Phoebe Firth, a Fort Frances High School student, began the music portion with “Silent Night.” Carmela Klug (on violin) and Elizabeth Klug (piano) led the group in singing favourite carols before six-year-old Katrina Klug, standing on a chair so we could see her, sang, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” with unforgettable purity.
The Kendall Olsen family closed the program with several selections, including an upbeat version of “Go Tell it on the Mountain.”
Everyone agreed the music was superb.
In addition to distributing gifts to the children, International Peace Santa (Gene Stoltzfus) told stories of Santa, Baba Noel, and St. Nicholas in other countries, with special emphasis on his visit to Beit Sahour, an Arab Christian village near Bethlehem under siege by the Israeli army.
Janet Loney, Sylvia Hyatt, and Tim Rowe, the event co-ordinators and tireless workers for years at this annual event, expressed gratitude for financial sponsors, Wendy and Tom Jackson, and for the countless volunteers who prepared and donated food, decorated the church, welcomed guests, served the meals, and washed dishes later.