Christmas Day all about giving at Whangārei Salvation Army

Trevor McLean, Community Ministries Team Leader with the Whangārei Salvation Army, at the Christmas Lunch the Salvation Army put on at its Aubrey St headquarters yesterday. Photo Mike Dinsdale

The true spirit of Christmas was on display in Whangārei yesterday at the Salvation Army's annual Christmas Lunch.

''Christmas is all about giving and there's plenty of giving going on here. Whangārei has to be one of the most giving communities there is,'' Captain Peter Koia of the Whangārei Salvation Army said.

Koia said the lunch, which fed about 140 people, was only possible due to the time, money, effort and goods given by members of the community and businesses in Northland.

"We have so many people giving their time, and not just today. We've had about 20 volunteers in on Monday setting the place up and preparing food then today (yesterday) there'll be many more preparing the food and serving. It's just so wonderful that these people have given up time with their own families on Christmas Day to come and help here,'' Koia said.

''If it wasn't for them this wouldn't happen. Not just them though, the many people who have donated money and goods to help. All those businesses and individuals have been amazing. Just this morning we had a man come in with a large ham to give to the cause. That's getting eaten today.

''The volunteers get so much out of doing this and they say its one way of giving something back to their community and we really appreciate their efforts.''

It never ceases to amaze Koia just how generous our community is.

"We've got a barbecue so it will be a traditional Kiwi Christmas with salads, ham and pavlova and desserts. And after lunch we've got presents for everybody, then we'll clean up.''

He said the lunch attendees always appreciated that there was somewhere for them to go along to on Christmas Day for a feast. Many of them did not have others to spend Christmas Day with while some could not afford such a meal themselves.

Judging by the smiles of those attending the festive feast all were grateful for the work the Salvation Army, its volunteers and the community had put in to making the day a success.

"Jesus Christ is the reason for the season and Jesus was about the community coming together and helping those who are most vulnerable and that's what we see ourselves as, continuing that work,'' he said.

"The volunteers have put aside some of their own time on Christmas Day to come and help others in the community to ensure they have an enjoyable and memorable Christmas Day. It's a wonderful gesture."