PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The 14th annual Elks Family Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day drew a capacity crowd at the Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954 on Main Street.
“As soon as the doors were opened, shortly before 10:30 a.m., people began to file into the lodge in order to get a seat at a table they preferred. By 11 o’clock, the lodge room, which had been set up to seat over 230, was nearly filled,” said Dana Dickinson, chairman of the annual event.
After serving hors d’oeuvres, salads and dinner rolls, Presque Isle Elks Chaplain Rachel Murchison delivered a benediction, calling upon all those in attendance to recall the true meaning of Christmas, including the spirit of giving as demonstrated by the Presque Isle Elks with their annual event.
Tomato bisque soup and rolls, supplied by local businesses, complemented meals of roast turkey or country-baked ham, with County-grown mashed potatoes, butternut squash, peas and stuffing, along with breads baked by lodge members. Dessert featured pies, including chocolate cream, coconut cream, graham cracker, peanut butter, apple, apple crumble, pecan, pumpkin, strawberry, blueberry, mint cream and many others.
In addition to serving those in attendance, the Elks delivered several meals to individuals unable to attend due to health conditions.
During the meal, musical entertainment was provided by Yvette Stevens, Hoss, James “Sheldon” Wright, Leland Clark and Dale Hudson.
Each guest received a Christmas stocking with fruit and candy from Mrs. Santa Claus.
Elks provided transportation to guests needing a ride.
Over 50 volunteers from the lodge and community assisted with the dinner.
Many of the volunteers participated as part of a “ShineOnCass Day” in tribute to Cassidy Charette, who was a devoted community volunteer in her hometown of Oakland and at Messalonskee High School, prior to her tragic death at age 17. Her parents, Randy and Monica Charette, her brother, uncles, aunts, grandmother, Gloria Wilcox of Mapleton, and friends all contributed significantly to the Elks’ celebration.
Lodge officials said by the end of the event, they had served 10 pounds of mixed nuts, eight pounds of cheese, four pounds of pepperoni, 12 pounds of crackers, 240 chocolate-covered mints and countless candy canes, in addition to 14 turkeys, seven whole hams, 95 pounds of potatoes, 36 pounds of butternut squash, 36 pounds of stuffing, 16 pounds of peas, 24 dozen dinner rolls and 46 pies.
