Holiday lunch for seniors replaced with 12 Days of Christmas
For the past 20 years, the Rotary Club of Tehachapi has treated local seniors to a holiday lunch each December at St. Malachy Catholic Church. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, members of the Rotary Club have replaced the popular luncheon this year with the 12 Days of Christmas.
Last Thursday, local Rotarian members met at the Tehachapi Senior Center to assemble 50 boxes of food to be delivered to local seniors starting Dec. 14, with dozens more arriving days later.
The food was donated by individuals and businesses according to guidelines of the 12 Days of Christmas as set by the Rotary Club.
Rotarian Rhonda Brady said she had no idea of the overwhelming response she would receive when she came up with the idea for the new holiday program to replace the traditional senior luncheon.
“The response has been enormous. The people are responding like mad,” Brady said.
In addition to names gathered by the Senior Center, Brady said
she has received additional referrals for boxes from the Tehachapi Humanitarian Group, Tehachapi Unified School District, Salvation Army and private individuals.
“We are trying to cover all of our seniors as best we can,” said Brady.
Brady said she will continue accepting requests for food boxes
on a first-come, first-served basis for a limited number of boxes still available.
Here is the list of items, which should cost a total of $40 to $50. Two items are listed each day for 12 days. You can choose to buy the items during one or more trips to the store or buy the items over the 12 days, whichever way you will find to be most enjoyable and convenient.
Dec. 1: Box of cereal and peanut butter
Dec. 2: Stuffing mix and boxed potatoes
Dec. 3: Macaroni and cheese and canned mixed fruit
Dec. 4: Canned tomatoes and canned tuna
Dec. 5: Dessert mix and jar of applesauce
Dec. 6: Canned sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce
Dec. 7: Canned beans and box of crackers
Dec. 8: Package of rice and package of oatmeal
Dec. 9: Package of pasta and spaghetti sauce
Dec. 10: Chicken noodle soup and tomato soup
Dec. 11: Canned corn and canned mixed vegetables
Dec. 12: Canned carrots and canned green beans
Boxes, with the 24 items, should be completed by Dec. 14. Brady said she is finding that many of the donated boxes contain extra items and holiday gifts.
“This year has been a struggle for us all. We miss our community... our friends and family,” said Judy Trujillo, Tehachapi Rotary Club secretary/treasurer and past president.
Trujillo went on to say that as a Rotary member, she has always looked forward to serving a Christmas dinner for 300 or so of her closest friends in the community.
“We hated to see the traditional luncheon have to be canceled but the safety and health of everyone is our first priority,” Trujillo said.
The boxes collected for 12 days of Christmas will allow Rotary members to make sure local seniors can continue to look forward to a holiday feast despite the pandemic.
“It doesn’t quite make up for the loss of a warm turkey dinner and the community of friends, but we hope to make the season a bit brighter for us all. Rotary wants to remind everyone to stay home and safe and to wear a mask. The more we help one another, the faster we will all be able to get back to the warmth and fellowship we all miss,” Trujillo added.
For information about the food boxes, or to make a monetary donation, call Rhonda Brady at 821-2846.