Making it a Christmas for all
A CAIRNS couple who have experienced the struggle of spending the festive season without their loved ones will swing open the doors to their business to serve Christmas lunch to those less fortunate.
Shawn and Emma Decker relocated to Cairns from Hawaii a year ago after serving in the US Navy for several years.
They have since opened Deckerdence Bake House at Piccones Shopping Village and jumped at the chance to offer some support to those doing it tough this festive season.
From about noon-2pm on Christmas Day they will serve a free lunch at their shop at 159-161 Pease Street, Manoora.
Mrs Decker expected more than 200 people to attend.
“We’re ex-military, so we’ve spent a lot of Christmases apart and away from family and we know what it’s like to be alone and we just thought we don’t want anyone else going through that,” Mrs Decker said.
“This is our first year in business and we’ve had so much support from the community and we thought it was a chance for us to support the community back. We want to make it an annual thing.”
The Deckers will offer takeaway packs for emergency services or workers who can’t stop for Christmas lunch.
“I’ve been on deployment for Christmas, I’ve been on duty for Christmas, there’s not a holiday I haven’t missed, so I get it,” Mr Decker said.