Sophie Conlon
THE Mount Gambier Community Christmas Lunch has built itself into a town tradition, and now organisers have been nominated at the South Australian Community Achievement Awards in recognition of their hard work.
Organiser Vicki Clark has been involved in the committee for a few years, but took over coordination of the group for the first time last year.
She said being nominated for the Connecting Communities Award, which recognises grass-roots initiatives that demonstrate genuine involvement, was very humbling.
“There has just been people who have decided they want to do something for others on Christmas Day and forgo our Christmas Day so we can give other people the chance to have a Christmas Day because most of them wouldn’t have it,” she said.
“It’s amazing, for me it’s about the volunteers that give up their day, we have about 14 on the day, we have a committee of about seven and we have some amazing support from the community.”
In line with the nomination, Ms Clark said the Community Christmas Lunch connected different communities, by involving locals schools in the event organisation.
“St Martins Lutheran College they do placemats and they are absolutely beautiful, the preps do it, colour them in and write something to the people,” she said.
“Tenison College, they make up little chocolate bags for us every year, Grant High School gives us a bus each year so we can pick up people.”
Ms Clark said they also had help from many businesses and community members who donated items to give away on the day.
“There is no one person that does this, the whole community is joined together,” she said.
When the lunch began in 2007 about 70 people came out, but Ms Clark said the number of people coming out on Christmas was growing each year.
“Last year we had 170 [people] and we did about 30 takeaways, so the actual need for it in the town has grown and were anticipating this year the need will be more,” she said.
“They walk home with a gift, they get a three course meal, we put entertainment on.”
She said the nomination made her heart sing.
“It’s an amazing nomination, it doesn’t matter if we don’t win, cause it’s not about that at all,” she said.
But, Ms Clark said it would be wonderful if they did win.
“I think they would be so excited, we don’t do it for any glory but I think if if we did win it would mean to [volunteers] that what they’re doing is really supporting the community,” she said.
“It does change your life when you volunteer and you don’t want anything back.”
Award winners will be announced at the 2023 Community Achievement Awards Gala Presentation Dinner on Friday, November 10.
In the meantime, Ms Clark and the committee are busy planning this years event and making sure everyone in the community can have a great Christmas Day.
