Coe Hill dinner packs Legion

December 16, 2015

The North Hastings Community Hand Bell Choir performs at the CCNH seniors Christmas dinner held in Coe Hill on Dec. 11. JIM EADIE Special to This Week.

By Jim Eadie

On Friday, Dec. 11 at noon in the hamlet of Coe Hill, one would have been forgiven for thinking the Coe Hill Fair was on. The main street was jammed with cars, people piled out of buses, and people walked to the Coe Hill Legion Hall for what appeared to be one of the biggest events of the year. In fact, it was the Community Care North Hastings seniors Christmas dinner, and there was not one seat to spare.

“We have a dinner once a month,” said Mayilyn Brickles, “but the Christmas one is always the biggest. People come from Coe Hill, Gilmour, and Apsley area.”

Following a brief informative presentation from the Alzheimer’s Society, a full course turkey dinner was served. After dinner, Paunnie Gordon recited a humorous poem about the eating problems, and gastro-intestinal upsets of senior citizens.

The Coe Hill School grades 3 and 4 choir, which had been invited to dinner with the seniors, sang a selection of Christmas and seasonal music.

The North Hastings Community Hand Bell Choir, directed by music director Wendy Taxis, followed the students.

“The idea of the dinners is to get people out who may not normally get out,” said Brickles. “It is a chance to visit with old friends, and to make new friends. There is a bus goes around to pick people up, and some people with their cars. With the children here … they will sing, but it is nice to have the young ones here sitting with the senior folks and engaging with them.”

Annette Vandendriessche, the grades 3 and 4 Coe Hill School teacher and choir director agrees that the children’s visit is a lot more than just the singing. “We have worked hard getting ready, learning about having good conversations and good table etiquette,” she said. “And we have been practising those things in class.”

A decision was announced that the $267 proceeds from the 50-50 draw would be donated to the Mace family in Coe Hill. Corey Mace was recently seriously injured in an automobile accident and remains in a Kingston hospital.