For the 35th year in a row on Christmas morning, a free holiday dinner will be served and gifts – including toys for the kids – will be handed out, only this year the celebration will take place at a new location.
The 35th Annual Free Christmas Celebration and Dinner will take place at the Covington Scottish Rite building at 1553 Madison Avenue in Covington. Free parking will be available next door in the Kroger parking lot. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. Christmas morning. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. No reservations are needed. Guests should enter the door on the Kroger side of the building. Handicap accessibility is through the building’s rear door.
The Covington Scottish Rite building is conveniently located on the TANK bus line.
“We are appreciative that the Covington Scottish Rite building was made available for this year’s Christmas Dinner,” said Tom Hall of The Sunday Morning Club, one of the dinner’s main sponsors. “It is a beautiful building that will allow us to help hundreds of people and families enjoy a Christmas Dinner, receive gifts and toys, visit Santa Claus and celebrate the wonderful day that is Christmas.”
As it has for more than 20 years, McHale’s Events and Catering will prepare the Christmas Day dinner – a full holiday meal including drinks and dessert.
File photos
“The Christmas Dinner is part of our family’s holiday tradition,” said Chuck McHale.
Everyone attending the celebration will receive gifts, including toys for the children. The kids can also have their picture taken with Santa and have visits with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Kentucky—a Great Horned Owl, Visiting Christmas Trees and Clowns making balloon figures.
Thanks to a donation from Bradford Lodge #123 Ky. F&AM of Independence, children’s bicycles will be raffled every half hour for ages 4 and up.
To volunteer for the Christmas Day Dinner, contact Lynn Haney at 859-240-5603 or email HaneyL@fuse.net. Or, volunteers can sign up at https://signup.com/go/kUznGya
Dinner organizers once again thank the M. Wise Temple for its continued support in providing volunteers to serve dinner this year as well as countless years in the past.
In addition to McHale’s Events and Catering and The Sunday Morning Club, sponsors for this year’s dinner are Advantage Tent and Party Rental, Busken Bakery, Cincinnati Building Trades, Covington Scottish Rite, Ron and Bonnie Halderman, Ironworkers Local 44, Master Provisions, Olive Garden Italian Kitchen, Perfetti van Melle, Performance Foodservice, PetSmart, Remke Markets, Road ID, TANK, Burr J. Travis, Tressa Inc. and Waltz Business Solutions.
Thanks is also extended to the Christmas Day Dinner committee, volunteers and sponsors who have supported this Dinner for many years by donating their time, talents, goods and dollars.
The dinner is dedicated to the late Tom Stanken, who for years was the dinner’s main organizer. The dinner is open to anyone but has traditionally served the needy, the homeless and those who have nowhere else to go on Christmas Day.
The Sunday Morning Club, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 1937 following the repeal of Prohibition. Bar owners, bartenders, waitresses, politicians and others would meet at local Northern Kentucky bars, which could not serve alcohol until 1 p.m. on Sundays. They began raising money for various charities, and over the years have supported Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, Diocesan Catholic Children’s Home, Care Net, Good Guys Club of Walton, Kelly Elementary, Covington Ladies Home, Rose Garden Home Mission and more.
