A LOOK BACK AT 2016 PAGES 4-5
Monday, December 26, 2016
www.sunraysiadaily.com.au
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Mildura’s Makayla McLoughlin, 14, with mother Judy and sister Julia, 9, get into the spirit of the Salvation Army Christmas lunch.
FESTIVE JOY Pictures: Louise Donges
By Tyrone Dalton
tdalton@sunraysiadaily.com.au
SURROUNDED by all the trimmings of a traditional roast, about 90 people enjoyed yesterday’s Salvation Army Mildura Christmas Day lunch. About 15 volunteers spent the morning preparing the Fourteenth Street citadel to ensure those who faced spending Christmas alone, or were unable to prepare a lunch, did not miss out. Salvation Army Mildura’s Major Graham Moyle said the day was special for everyone involved and helped spread the festive joy. “We’ve got our regulars who have been coming for quite a few years now, including people who would face being on their
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own or do not have the capacity to put on a Christmas Day lunch,” Mr Moyle said. Also in the fold were Mildura’s passing population – backpackers and travellers looking for somewhere to enjoy Christmas festivities. On the menu was a hot lunch of two types of roast meats, roast vegetables such as potatoes and pumpkin, and desserts including pavlova, fruit, ice cream and plum pudding. “We have all the crackers on the table, lollies and drinks – it’s no different to anyone else’s Christmas lunch if they were able to prepare it themselves,” Mr Moyle said. Lunch caterer Alan Lay, of Lay’s Mobile Chef catering service, began preparing food at 5.30am yesterday.
Mildura Partly cloudy
Seven legs of lamb, six legs of pork, 6kg of carrots, 10kg of cauliflower, 260 potatoes, 132 bread rolls, 30 plum puddings and 40 pavlovas were sliced, chopped, peeled and cooked beforehand. Each year volunteers give up their morning so the citadel can host the lunch. “We never have a problem with getting volunteers,” Mr Moyle said. The lunchers were entertained by Salvation Army member and musician Don Mayne, who each year gets the crowd singing along to Christmas carols and contemporary songs. Afterwards, lunch guests bid farewell, leaving the volunteers to begin the clean-up about 2pm.
Close friends Yvonne Kline and Irene Crouch, both of Mildura, have lunch plated up by caterer Alan Lay.
Slight chance of a shower in the afternoon Tue Mallee 38° Partly cloudy and evening. Winds northeasterly.
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Full report P22