By Adele Levine
Five years ago, Laurel Burgwardt learned that her family wouldn’t be gathering at her house for Christmas. She didn’t dwell on it for long.
“I didn’t want to cook Christmas dinner for just my husband Mark and me. Then I thought there must be many other people in the same boat. No one should be alone on holidays.”
The longtime Becket resident announced her idea at a service at the Becket Federated Church: a free Christmas dinner for anyone who didn’t want to spend the day alone. She then wrote to local businesses, asking each to sponsor a table for fifty dollars.
The response was strong. That first dinner drew eighty people, including couples, singles, seniors, and a few families. Some guests took meals home to enjoy later.
The meal has grown over the years. Today, guests can choose from turkey, ham, all the fixings, rolls, appetizers, and homemade pies baked by church members. People come from throughout the area, including Stockbridge and Lenox. (See story on page 8.)
One year, a woman from a nearby Mennonite community picked up twelve dinners to go. Later, she sent a thank-you letter with a photo of her group feasting on their meal.
What began as a single Christmas dinner has become a tradition. Thanksgiving and Easter dinners followed, and last year Laurel added Breakfast with Santa. Each gathering is open to everyone and draws about eighty people, a mix of regulars and newcomers. Local businesses help cover the costs, supplemented by a donation jar near the door. Giving is welcome but never required.
For Burgwardt the purpose is straightforward: “These dinners mean that more people have fellowship and a meal they don’t have to worry about in this economy. They know they can donate if they want, but it isn’t necessary.”
She has seen how a shared meal can change the atmosphere in a room. “Many times people arrive feeling uncertain about what to expect. By the time they leave, they are feeling like they are a part of one big family. Laughter fills the room,” she said.
Burgwardt’s commitment to hospitality has deep roots. Growing up in a family of ten, she watched her parents make sure there was always enough food for family and guests, who were welcomed with hugs and love.
Today, she and her husband Mark, along with a team of volunteers, also serve free spaghetti dinners on the first Friday of each month and ten-dollar breakfasts on the fourth Saturday at the Becket Federated Church Parish House. Each meal draws between fifty and eighty people.
Asked about the future, Burgwardt said she hopes to “continue to grow and to get better.” And what are all these meals really about? “Community,” she said.
This year’s free Thanksgiving dinner will be held Thursday, November 26, from 1 to 3 pm at the Becket Federated Church Parish House.
Volunteers are always welcome for the monthly breakfasts and spaghetti dinners as well as for the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter meals. To help, email laurelburgwardt@gmail.com.
