7,500 holiday meals to be served along the Grand Strand
The 30th Annual Community Christmas Day Dinner will be held Dec. 25 at three locations along the Grand Strand and on Dec. 24 in Andrews. All locations are free to everyone. Some 7,500 meals are expected to be served or delivered to those who are homebound.
The Christmas dinner tradition first began in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Hugo. Janice Ash Sialiano saw the need for the community to share in fellowship with others on Christmas Day. Since that time, she has not missed a year with her team of volunteers in providing a full course meal for those in need or wanting to spend time with others on Christmas Day.
The Community Christmas Dinner is made possible in part by a grant from the Chapin Foundation. “The remainder of the funds to make this incredible event happen come from individual donations from within our communities,” Sialiano stated. “Donations are greatly appreciated if anyone wishes to support the dinners.” (Tax-deductable checks can be made out and sent to “Community Christmas Dinner” c/o St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church.)
Crabby Mike’s will prepare the meal, which includes roasted turkey, honey glazed ham with pineapple, giblet dressing, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, yam casserole with raisins and cranberry sauce.
There will be fellowship, music and clothing. Free shoes will be given at the Andrews and Greek Church locations for children, provided by Samaritan’s Feet and funded by the Pardue Children in Need Fund.
Locations are: St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 12 noon – 2 p.m. Christmas Day, 3301 Highway 17 Bypass, Myrtle Beach; Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, 12 noon – 3 p.m. Christmas Day, 4182 Highway 17 Business, Murrells Inlet; Flagpatch Apostolic Holiness Church, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Christmas Day, 630 Flagpatch Church Road, Loris; Trinity United Methodist Church, 12 noon – 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24, 201 South Rosemary Ave., Andrews.