It was time to get into the holiday spirit Friday during the 12th annual Purdue Extension Family Nutrition Program Holiday event which took place at the Montgomery County 4-H Building.
The program is open to those individuals and families who have completed, or are in the process of completing, a series of five nutritional lessons with Debbie Threlkeld, the Family Nutrition Assistant. These lessons, which are geared toward those residents who have limited resources, touch on topics such as nutrition, meal planning, food purchasing, food safety and resource management.
"This is a reward for completing the course," Threlkeld said. "We have been doing this for 12 years and it's always a fun time."
Several local groups were on hand to offer those participants a craft to complete.
The Southmont FCCLA offered individuals the chance to make stockings and wooden angels.
According to sponsor Carol Steiner, the Southmont group has been participating since the first year.
"I just enjoy being able to do community work and the FCCLA has really given me the chance to do that and that is why we are here today," senior Susan Ward said. "It's a great feeling to be able to help others."
Ward's feeling was echoed by fellow FCCLA member Cali Dedrick.
"I love coming here because everyone starts getting excited about Christmas," she said." "This is my favorite time of the year and to see the smiles on peoples' faces is so rewarding. It gets everyone in the holiday spirit."
That is also true for Susan Vaught and members of the Extension Homemakers who have been providing the meal for each of the event's 12 years.
"This comes at a good time," Vaught said as she was preparing the broccoli and cheese soup. "I think it gets us all in the spirit. It's like the kickoff to the holiday season. I love being here and I love to volunteer. Someone asked me once if I ever got tired of doing that and I said absolutely not and as long as I can do it I will. My time to sit in a chair and knit will come later."
The members provided the meal and some helped serve. In addition to the soup, Subway provided sandwiches and cookies and ice cream sundaes were also on the menu.
North Montgomery's Sunshine Society was on hand to help make reindeer ornaments. While Crawfordsville's Sunshine Society was not in attendance, they help out by supplying the families with Cheer Certificates.
During the day's activities, Threlkeld gave a program on the importance of whole grain foods and a food demonstration for baking mix was given by Consumer Family and Science Educator Joy Dugan.
At the end of the day participants were given a box of food, a box of paper products, laundry soap, dish towels, dish sop and paper towels.
The program is sponsored by the Montgomery County Home Extension Homemakers, Subway, Beta Sigma Phi, Layton's Christmas Tree Farm, North Montgomery High School, Crawfordsville High School, Southmont High School, patty Zimmerman, Tami Mussche, Mary Laube and Debbie and Janet Fagen.
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