The Kiwanis Christmas Day lunch that is a long tradition in Medicine Hat will not take place this year due to COVID.
“The three Kiwanis Clubs of Medicine Hat regretfully announce that the decades-old special Christmas Dinner for those who may be alone on Christmas Day has been postponed for 2020 due to the pandemic,” reads a press release.
Each Christmas Day about 250 guests and volunteers have enjoyed the experience of a turkey and ham dinner, with all the side dishes and fixings.
Many were provided with transport by Kiwanians. During the dinner the mayor would traditionally wish everyone a happy Christmas and thank the Kiwanis Club.
John John, a member of the planning team, said that it would be difficult to accommodate the 250 guests due to Alberta Health restrictions and guidelines for group gatherings. It was determined that having the event restricted to just 50 people or fewer would not be fair.
The Kiwanis Clubs thank all the volunteers who have helped in the past under the direction of Stan Sakamoto, the Medicine Hat Lodge, which cooked the turkey and prepared the stuffing. Bill DeBarres and Betty Bischee provided background music and led the group in Christmas carols with words printed in booklets published by Medicine Hat News.
