Buses rolled into the Antioch VFW #1551 parking lot Saturday evening with more than 225 recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Training Station onboard. They entered the main hall to applause, and a warm welcome from volunteers while filing through lines of tables to their seats.
As master of ceremonies Chris Leinhardt said over the loudspeaker, “This is official. This is not the chow hall. You do not have to consume your food in four minutes. Relax. Take your time, and enjoy. We welcome you.”
For the last 18 years, the Sailors Community Christmas Dinner has brought a little bit of home to new Navy personnel away from home for their first holiday season. A dinner committee and a group of 70 volunteers served coffee and soda, as well as manned two long food tables with steamship beef, ham and all the trimmings.
“I’ve been doing this for nine years,” said Bill Mellen, committee vice president and chief cook. “This is one of the most fun activities we’ve been doing here through Antioch, the Antioch VFW, and it’s just fantastic when you see these sailors come and go happy.”
For the recruits, it is their first time through the Navy boot camp and being away from home. The dinner gives them a taste of the holiday season, a chance to relax, play games and listen to music. The hall is donated to the committee by the Antioch VFW to hold the dinner, and the volunteers make it all happen.
Santa Claus was there to high-five the recruits as they entered the hall, and then made the rounds to greet them and take photos with them.
“It’s one of the best events of the year,” said Scott “Santa” Pierce. “We have over 200 sailors here, plus veterans from the Lovell V.A. Hospital here. It really, really warms your heart when you see how much they enjoy the holiday season and getting a little feel of home.”
Chief Petty Officer Rebecca Poznek was responsible for coordinating the groupings at Great Lakes. “I work at the base in one of the buildings where the students live, and went to the 10 other barracks to put the sign-up list to tell them about the event. I maintained it, and made sure we got everybody here tonight.”
Ensign Marde Bade, a Texas native, was excited to attend the dinner. “I think it’s cool because we used to go around for the holidays and meet up with people here, other sailors, since a lot of us don’t have families to go home to. I don’t have family to go home to, so this is special for me.”
Recruits eyed the food tables, and were generally overwhelmed by the friendliness.
“This is the first time I’ve been to something like this, and I feel really welcome,” said Duckwith Charles, a damage control man. “I love how it looks and the presentation, and I feel real welcome here. I’m originally from Seattle, Washington.”
The Dec. 7 date also was not lost on the proceedings, with a moment of silence.
“This is also a very solemn day. It would be a travesty not to recognize the significance of this date,” Leinhardt said.
The continuity of Pearl Harbor to the present day was not lost on the new recruits, and a round of applause spontaneously started as a salute to all veterans.
More Top Picks Best 13 14 Inch Laptops
“For me, as the night ends and they sing ‘Anchors Aweigh’ before boarding the buses, I can’t help but tear up,” said April Soulak-Andrews, a committee member. “I leave with a full heart knowing we provided a warm meal and spread a little holiday cheer during one of their first holidays away from home.”