A Christmas Party to beat all

Four huge trays of rigatoni



Eighty golf ball sized meatballs

Salad

Bottles of Salad dressing

.....and enough cookies for children
to place on all the plates
across the county with love for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Oh! And pumpkin pie....can't forget the pumpkin pie!

Add that together nearly a dozen people with big hearts,

one man with a heck of of a voice, about forty people without a home and you have a party. Yeah, I said without a home. But you know what? It didn't matter. For an evening they sang and ate and giggled and watched and visited and it seemed as though no one had a care in the world. Even if just for tonight.

When tomorrow dawns the same problems will exist. The same reality that they faced this morning will face them tomorrow morning.

The kids all colored and put glitter on pictures and on the table and on the floor.....no one minded and everyone said they would clean it. It's called team work and taking care of each other.

They have a beautiful Christmas tree...it rivals many I've seen.

We ate and visited and ate some more....then we sang and nibbled on some cookies then sang some more. Christmas songs from "O Holy Night" to those irritating Chipmunks. It was all good. Real good. I'm not sure about the Ray Steven's song "It's Me Again Margaret" though. That was wacky! Google it if you want to. Kids took the mics, adults took the mics from the kids.


It didn't matter if the tunes were off or the timing was messed up. There was more laughter and if you weren't having a good time well.....you just had to deal with it or leave. The music was loud and filled the house.

An elderly gentleman came in after the singing started and feeling in a festive mood I asked him if he came to sing. I didn't expect him to snuggle up to my ear and sing to me alone! I think I blushed. Later in the evening I found out he was a retired high school principal of a neighboring town grinning and singing into his ninth decade of life.



I saw my first "check-in". A man came in with a backpack. The helper at the desk ask if she could help him. You could tell he was new. You could tell he was tired, hungry and cold. He found a place not only to rest, eat and warm up; he found a place to make his way back into a productive life. I found my perspective.

I didn't want to leave. I haven't laughed, sang, danced and just felt downright good inside in a long long time. But when I started to head out I was approached by a resident of the shelter who told me about a fella who hadn't smiled since he got there. He smiled tonight. And I cried. That's what it's all about.

Hugs, Happiness and Harmony,
Julie