PAGC says Merry Christmas with annual holiday meal

Jason Kerr/Daily Herald. Volunteers Alyssa Simonot (left) and Mikeala Stevens (right) dish up a plateful of food at the PAGC Christmas Turkey Dinner on Wednesday. The PAGC and their partners host the annual dinner every year.

Turkey time at Urban Services

Uko Akpanuko, Daily Herald


The PAGC Urban Services building was packed on Wednesday as the organization held its annual Christmas Turkey Dinner for those in need.

The event ran from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday. PAGC officials said it was important to help out vulnerable community members.

“It’s been great,” Athabasca Labour Force Development Coordinator Mel Mercredi said. “We’ve had about 300 people come through so far, and we’ve still got another hour and a half to go. We’ve been here since this morning setting up, and we’ve had all our volunteers coming in.”

Mercredi said the PAGC does as much as it can to help vulnerable residents, regardless of where they come from. If they are in the PAGC service area, he said, the organization is willing to help them.

Jason Kerr/Daily Herald. Volunteer Justin Pratt helps guests find a new blanket or sleeping bag during the PAGC Community Christmas Dinner on Wednesday.

That includes things like helping them find a home or fill out a resume, to providing warm meals on a cold day like with Wednesday’s turkey dinner.

“Sitting down with them, bringing them coffee, visiting, saying Merry Christmas to them mean a lot,” Mercredi said. “I can feel the good vibes in here.”

In addition to the meal, guests also had a chance receive new toques or gloves, and the PAGC health department was on hand giving away 100 new sleeping bags.

Mercredi said there’s a big cost to hosting events like this, and that means other programs, like  the annual Christmas hamper program, are on hold. He said the PAGC needs community partners to step up and help with larger events like this one.

On Wednesday, other community groups and volunteers were quick to jump in and help the PAGC shoulder the load. The list of sponsors and volunteers includes emergency services, businesses, cultural groups, and members of council.

Jason Kerr/Daily Herald
Volunteer Jonas Archibald hands out packages of candy during the PAGC Christmas Turkey Dinner on Wednesday.

Last year, the PAGC and their partners served around 300 people. Final numbers were not available by press time, but Mercredi expects they served even more this year.

He said their efforts to help vulnerable residents will continue into the New Year. That includes more dinners like this one, and barbecues in the summer.

“The PAGC is always doing something,” he said. “I think a lot of people don’t see the things we do behind the scenes, and not just with Urban Services. The Prince Albert Grand Council, we’re always helping every member who is from the City, the First Nations, whether they’re from another tribal council. They’re in our service area, so we’re helping them.”

Mecredi ended the interview by wishing everyone in Prince Albert a Merry Christmas on behalf of PAGC Urban Services.

–with files from Jason Kerr/Daily Herald

editorial@paherald.sk.ca

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