PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – For the fifth consecutive year, the Presque Isle Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge 1954, will host a Family Christmas Dinner for anyone who would otherwise be alone on Christmas.
“Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954 hereby extends to everyone without family or friends with whom to share Christmas Day an invitation to join with the Elks, their friends and their family, at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 25, 2009 at the Lodge for a celebration of Christmas,” said Michael LaFrance, exalted ruler of the Presque Isle Lodge of Elks.
Again this year, the Presque Isle Elks will be serving, free of charge, a traditional, sit-down Christmas dinner at noon on Christmas Day. The dinner menu will include roast turkey, country-cooked ham, the Northeastland Hotel’s famous tomato bisque soup, salad, vegetables, and a wide variety of breads, including Governor’s dinner rolls and desserts, featuring a variety of pies.
Wendell Hudson, James “Sheldon” Wright, Peter Parker, Leland Clark, and a variety of other local musical talent have volunteered to provide live entertainment, including a Christmas carol sing-along. As in every previous year, Luxury Limos of Caribou will provide free limousine service to assist those unable to travel on their own to the Lodge at 508 Main St. in Presque Isle.
“With the coordination and manpower provided by the Elks Lodge, community members are collectively providing a traditional Christmas dinner, entertainment, special gifts, and transportation as Christmas presents to anyone in the local area who wishes to join with others in a celebration on Christmas Day at the Elks Lodge,” LaFrance said.
At least 40 members of the Presque Isle Elks Lodge have annually donated their time on Christmas Day to make Christmas a joyous time for everyone. This effort manifests the motto of the Elks, “Elks Care … Elks Share.”
Persons from outside the Lodge have also generously volunteered their time. Many area businesses have donated goods and services and have financially supported this project. The Presque Isle Police and Fire Departments and the Public Works Department have provided assistance, as has Crown Ambulance Service, for this event every year.
The Presque Isle Elks Lodge initiated its family Christmas event in 2005. Aware of the increasing number of people who have no one with whom to enjoy Christmas, the Presque Isle Elks began holding its annual family Christmas dinner.
“For most people at Christmas, the company of family and friends is often the greatest joy of all,” LaFrance said. “The goal of the Elks is to give everyone the opportunity to share in that joy.”
The number of Presque Isle area individuals attending this event has increased every year. Last year, nearly 200 guests and 50 lodge members attended the family Christmas dinner which included 220 pounds of turkey, 70 pounds of ham, 120 pounds of mashed potatoes, 40 pounds of sweet potatoes, 42 pies, 17 dozen dinner rolls, 40 pounds of mixed vegetables and five gallons of gravy.
Anyone in the Presque Isle area who does not have family or friends to celebrate Christmas with should call the Elks Lodge at 764-0985 in order to reserve a place at the Elks’ Christmas dinner. A limousine ride to the lodge can also be booked, free of charge, if transportation is a problem. For those persons confined to a wheelchair, special equipment is available for their transportation to the lodge, as well. Organizers will begin transporting guests to the Lodge at 10:30 a.m.
