The food was as good as the fellowship, and bad weather could not stop it.
That's the assessment from everybody attending the 2010 Riverview Seniors Holiday Dinner held this past Saturday, December 4, 2010. The event was held in the Douglass Community Room in the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex.
"We used to call it 'Christmas Dinner for the Seniors," says Jeannie Hodges of the local Weed & Seed Office. "We changed it to 'Holiday Dinner' because we do it between Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. This year, we had almost 50 seniors served, and it was wonderful to see the fellowship."
Click "play" on the TV screen to see one of the selections from the Central Baptist Praise Dancers, inspiring the seniors at the Holiday Dinner.
Click here to see a slideshow of the 2010 Riverview Seniors Holiday Dinner.
One of the highlights of the event, was children in the New Vision Youth Program who waited on the tables of seniors, getting them food, drink, desserts and seeing to their every social need.
"We didn't want the seniors to want for nothing," says New Vision Youth Director Johnnie Mae Swagerty. "We'd have done their toenails if they wanted that. It was all about honoring the seniors and seeing to their needs tonight.
"It was their day to be waited on."
"Mary Janes Carnes started the event several years ago," says Mrs. Hodges. "This is my fourth year helping coordinate it. Even with the weather, folks still came out. This makes three years that we've had bad weather for the dinner. I'm still pleased at the attendance, that folks could come out and help celebrate Christmass with each other and enjoy the fellowship."
"It was also good to see the seniors get waited on by the kids," she says. "To have the two groups together, the youth waiting on the seniors."
In addition to dinner, the seniors were also treated to Praise Dancing by the Central Baptist youth dancers, and musical selections. A special highlight was a trivial pursuit game, during which selected contestants got to guess certain things about the seniors present... how many were wearing glasses, how many were retired from Eastman, how many of the senior women were carrying pocketbooks, etc. Drawing were held for door prizes, and it seems almost everybody came away with something.
Also announced and presented were the winners of the DEFY (Drug Education For Youth) essay and poster contest held a few weeks ago. Olivia Huff wrote an essay about how to get rid of drugs in our community and families, and for that, was awarded the 1st Place trophy. In second place, is Jaiden Fullen.. her essay was on the consequences of doing drugs, and what can happen to them and their families. The poster winner is Edward Newcomb, whose poster was about not doing drugs, including a zero sign with a slash in the middle. "All the kids did a good job," says Ms. Swagerty.
While the seniors enjoyed the program, the holiday season will keep the kids busy.
"On Saturday, December 18th, we're taking the New Vision Youth Kids to see the lights and the Christmas displays at Pigeon Forge," says Mrs. Hodges, "then on Monday the 20th, they'll be Christmas caroling in the Riverview community. It's going to be a busy season."
The 2010 Riverview Holiday Dinner was sponsored by South Central Kingsport Community Development Corporation/Weed & Seed, in partnership with the New Vision Youth Kids and Kingsport Parks and Recreation.
