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'Fantastic' feast held at SideDoor Inaugural Christmas dinner draws more than 100 Yellowknife youthThandiwe Vela Northern News Services Published Friday, December 21, 2012
Organizers were expecting about 60 young people to attend the event last Friday but the crowd started trickling in even before doors officially opened at 7 p.m., with more than 100 youth coming out. "I just heard about it so I came along. It was good, good food," said Christal Drost, 17, an Aurora College nursing student who knows Side Door Youth Ministries program director Christopher Cobbler, and his wife Kahra, who sang at the event. Attendees roughly ranged between the ages of 13 and 19. Despite the overwhelming attendance at the first annual event, there was more than enough gifts and food, including turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, gravy, and even bannock to feed the crowd, Cobbler said. Some youths were even sent home with leftovers. "It was a great night. I was extremely proud of the staff and proud of the community for stepping up," he said. "I couldn't believe the overwhelming response from the community with food, support, gifts." Movie passes were donated by the Registered Nurses Association and a tree and several gifts for the youth donated by Canadian Tire, Warehouse One, Reitmans, Staples, Fiddles and Stix, and other city businesses. "Not one kid left without a gift in hand," Cobbler said. "It was fantastic. "It's that time of year when people are trying to get in the spirit so it was a good opportunity for (the youth) to come and feel the love. "There's a lot of kids who won't have a Christmas." In addition to Christmas carol performances, the evening featured a keynote speech from associate pastor Naash Richey, who shared parts of his own personal story to encourage the young people. SideDoor plans to host the event again next year.
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