Norman "Ziggy" Lawrence carries food Wednesday while volunteering during the Central Maine Family Christmas Dinner at Winslow Elementary School in Winslow. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

WINSLOW -- Dozens of volunteers put on a free Christmas dinner Wednesday at Winslow Elementary School, serving dozens more with turkey, homemade stuffing and Christmas camaraderie.

Clad in leftover green-and-red branded shirts from last year's event, the volunteers flanked every wall and most aisles in the school's cafeteria, bringing food to visitors and refilling drinks, when needed.

The yearly event, called the Central Maine Family Christmas Dinner, was co-founded and organized 16 years ago by Norman "Ziggy" Lawrence and his wife, Kim. The dinner relies entirely on donations and corporate sponsors to pay for the food costs, which were about $5,000 last year.

Ziggy Lawrence said volunteers often come to work for an hour or two and then enjoy a free meal and good company themselves.

"This is something that I identified right off the bat from the get-go -- a lot of people are alone on Christmas," he said. "They don't want to come and just have dinner, so they volunteer. Maine people aren't so readily accepting of something for nothing. A lot of people volunteer, but they're alone. It's up to us to figure how to use all the people that want to do that."

Tom Steeves, center, of Winslow, composes a photo Wednesday with with friend James Sanderson, right, during the Central Maine Family Christmas Dinner at Winslow Elementary School. Also joining in the photo are, from left, Steeves' son Hunter Steeves, 14; daughter Addy Steeves, 11; and wife Kelsey Steeves. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

Anthony Pickell, a senior at Messalonskee High School, was assigned to the water pitcher -- refilling cups across the cafeteria. His mother, Sarah, said she brought Anthony and her husband, Travis, to the event.

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Earlier this year, Sarah Pickell was involved in a pedestrian accident outside of a church in Waterville, which put her in intensive care. She said bringing her family to the event was her way of giving back to the community after many residents helped her on her road to recovery.

On the other side of the room from the drinks station, Santa Claus -- or, more accurately, a man who legally changed his name to Kris Donald Kringle 13 years ago and has been playing Santa since 1981 -- greeted visitors as they walked by. By noon, the cafeteria and its 252 chairs were about half full.

Kringle has been volunteering at the dinner since before the pandemic, when COVID-19 and fundraising woes combined to knock the event out of commission for three Christmases. Lawrence, who worked at Winslow Elementary School as a custodian, restarted the event last year.

Kringle, 71, says he enjoys volunteering at the event every year because he knows he's able to bring joy to people who might be struggling to get by.

Grace Clark, 19, shoulders a sousaphone Wednesday as her dad, Ben Clark, and sister Lydia Clark, 15, adjust the horn's bell during the Central Maine Family Christmas Dinner at Winslow Elementary School. After adjustment, Grace Clark went on to play Jingle Bells and other songs for dinner guests. Ben Clark is a music teacher at Winslow High School. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

"People could pull up in limos or walking -- it didn't matter how you got here," Kringle said. "Everyone gets a free meal. Everyone's treated the same."

Kringle sat beside Tom and Kate Cassidy, who bought dozens of presents, including crayons and drawing books and small games, to hand out to children at the dinner.

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Tom Cassidy said it was their first year volunteering at the event, but that the pair thought it would be a good opportunity to spread holiday cheer. Kate Cassidy went around the cafeteria to tell children about Santa's presence, branding herself as the "Christmas Elf."

"It's a bright light in this community," Tom Cassidy said.

One of the usual patrons at the dinner, Lawrence said, called last year several times -- first, to say he was coming, and then, to say he wouldn't. Lawrence called back to ask why, and the patron said that he would be too big of a bother.

Volunteer Dawn Ruitto, right, serves Yvonne Budd during the Central Maine Family Christmas Dinner at Winslow Elementary School on Wednesday. Budd, also a volunteer, served desserts during the dinner. Organizers say about 375 meals were served. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

Lawrence disagreed, and sent a van to pick him up and bring him to the dinner, like he does with dozens of others who request to be picked up and dropped off.

Lawrence made the Central Maine Family Christmas Dinner an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit more than 10 years ago, while the dinner was still being held in its original location at the Waterville Elks Lodge. Lawrence said the nonprofit status cements the dinner's mission: to bring people together on Christmas.

"We're not meant to be alone," he said.

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