Thank You for Another Successful Christmas Friendship Dinner
Contributed by Linda Luberger, Christmas Friendship Dinner, Inc.
It’s hard to believe, but with Christmas 2024 now behind us, there are only about 350 days until Christmas 2025! We’re already excited to start planning for next year’s event and continue our efforts to make it even more special. We look forward to your continued support and involvement throughout the year as we work to spread holiday cheer to our community!
The Board of Directors of the Christmas Friendship Dinner would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the 1,900 guests who joined us this year, as well as to the incredible volunteers who made this event possible. We are honored to work alongside over 300 volunteers who contribute a total of approximately 2,500 hours annually to support our mission and serve our community.
The Christmas Friendship Dinner began in 1991 when Bob Bowers and Harold Newcomb, with a vision and a few dedicated volunteers, served 67 people at the first dinner. Since then, the event has grown every year, both in numbers and in the ways, we bring the joy of Christmas to our community. The Menard Center is beautifully decorated each year to create a magical Christmas atmosphere, especially for the children, who enjoy a visit with Santa and receive gifts.
Throughout the year, we plan and raise funds to make each holiday season better than the last. Our website, ChristmasFriendshipDinner.com, features a calendar of events where you can find ways to stay involved. We offer many opportunities to participate, such as joining the Colony Days and Colony Christmas Parades in Palmer, the 4th of July Parade in Wasilla, and our Christmas in July meal at WASI.
We also invite those interested in more significant involvement to consider joining our Board of Directors. Fresh ideas are always welcome to help us improve and expand our event. For more information, please visit our website or follow us on Facebook at Christmas Friendship Dinner. You can also reach us at 907-631-9776.
Thank you again for your continued support. Together, we make Christmas brighter for so many in our community.
In an effort to raise funds for the continued success of the Christmas Friendship Dinner, we are excited to announce that we are now an official participant in Pick.Click.Give through the Alaska Permanent Fund. You can now donate directly to us through this platform or by visiting our website. Your generous contributions help us continue to bring joy to our community and make each holiday season even more special. Thank you for your support!