COVINGTON, Ky. — On Christmas morning, the holiday spirit illuminated the hearts of hundreds of Tri-State families at The Sunday Morning Club’s annual free Christmas dinner.
The festivities kicked off with cheerful mascots, balloon-making clowns and a live owl.
Dressed as two Christmas trees with ornaments from head to toe, Laura Shawber and Randall Reese spent the morning taking photos with families.
“This all started because he was working a Christmas tree lot, and he needed a mascot,” Shawber said. “We just bring so many smiles to other people and to ourselves.”
The event is now in its 37th year. It is the second dinner since returning from a hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We love coming here every year,” said Liz Villafuerte, attending her 35th dinner.
Getting to meet new people from all walks of life keeps her coming back, she said: “People should always give in their heart to everybody, no matter who you are.”
When dinner was served, guests enjoyed a feast of ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, cookies and cake.
Pulling off a meal for 1,500 people is no small feat. The Sunday Morning Club relies on nearly 400 volunteers.
“They'll tell us when they're leaving, ‘we'll be back next year’. This is the way we know Christmas,” said Chuck McHale of McHale's Catering.
It’s not just a Christmas dinner. Santa Claus also made a special delivery for children in attendance.
In an adjacent ballroom, tables with toys sorted by age lined the walls. It had everything from stuffed cows to Monopoly. Plus, 140 bikes lined the center aisle.
Que Kinebrew volunteered to help keep a table full of toys organized as kids picked their presents.
“It allows for you to understand what the true meaning of Christmas is – paying it forward and making sure everybody has a little something,” Kinebrew said.
