Once again, the annual Mother/Daughter Christmas Banquet at Concordia Lutheran Church in Lakewood has kindled the spirit for a new Christmas season. The feminine assembly on Saturday, December 1st ranged in age from seven months to eighty-seven years. Women, girls and infants, representing multiple family generations, gathered in the fellowship hall bedecked with boughs of holly for a delicious potluck buffet, including punch, coffee and cake. Festively dressed from their dazzling toes to their convivial smiles, they engaged in games and songs and reunited yet again with new faces and familiar faces, some of whom had traveled afar; all came bearing food and glad tidings.
Christmas caroling was lead by a trio of pretty young girls; Kiandra Wilt, Vanessa Wilt and Kirsten Brown. Lise Hoffman read an inspirational devotion by an unknown author entitled, "
Mary's Dream." Multigenerational portraits were provided at the affordable rate of $1 per snapshot by professional photographer Matt Matthews. Lavonne Crawford and her daughters Cindy, Pam and Peggy, and granddaughter Lyndie, provided treat cups and meticulously hand-painted ornaments for each participant. Additional time, talent and treasure were graciously supplied by Kirsten Brown, Arlene Harstad, Ella Jeffers, Gail Kirkegaard, Kim Matthews, Sheri and her daughter Hannah Michaelis, Deb Rash and Cindy Snyder. Teenage gentleman, Dallas Greer, helped arrange tables and chairs, then folded them all up to put them away and mopped the kitchen when it was over.
Door prizes were donated by small businesses: Linda Pitter, storyteller for
Happily Ever After; Creative Memories Consultant Denise Himes;
Stampin' Up Independent Distributor Lisa Gray;
Mary Kay Cosmetics distributor Julia Shoun; and hairdresser Sue Schmidt.
The door prize for the oldest mother in attendance went to Evalyn Kirkegaard. Baby Jenna Harvey willingly took delivery of the teddy bear reserved for the youngest. Other door prizes went to a newlywed, to the one who never before attended a Mother/Daughter Banquet, to the one who traveled the farthest to the event, to the driver who brought the most people in her car, to visitors to the banquet, and to the mother with the most children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren (whether they were present or not). Last but not least, a very special door prize waited on the table for the lucky woman who would volunteer to take over the event next year.
Every year at the banquet, donations of baby and mother necessities, and money, are collected for Bridgeway, a Lakewood organization for unwed mothers. Bridgeway's mission is to build new lives for pregnant teens and their babies by providing shelter, food, clothes, education, life skills, counseling, mentors, career training and support.
If you missed it this year, the event will be held again next December. The tradition has been embraced by young and old alike at Concordia.
Are you wondering what happened to the final door prize? At long last, Ella Jeffers and Leoetta Mayer agreed to co-chair the 7th annual Mother/Daughter Christmas Banquet in 2008, and shared the prize. Everybody extends a hearty thank you to these women, and we already look forward to next year!