Senior lunch at civic center makes friends of all who come
Annual meet and eat
By MARCELLA HERNDON staff writer

Free Press photo by Marcella Herndon NOBLE SERVER-Temple-Inland's Jim Brody, volunteers his services to assist with making this year's, "Senior Christmas Luncheon," a success. "He is a wonderful person that gives of his time freely each year without any hesitation," said Margie Harrell of Diboll Housing Authority.

Diboll Christian Outreach and Diboll Housing Authority held their annual Senior Christmas Luncheon on Wednesday, December 12 at the Lottie and Arthur Temple Civic Center.

The annual fellowship of friends and loved ones continues to grow each year as new faces blend into the crowd of long time participants.

The occasion originally started out as a small Housing Authority Christmas luncheon sixteen years ago, and quickly spiraled into a large Civic Center attraction. More than 500 residents and non-residents attended this year's festive occasion at which they were treated to homemade chicken dressing, sweet potato casserole, potato salad, green beans and all the fixings for a pre-Christmas celebration.

Sponsors and friends of Diboll, along with Diboll Housing Foundation chairman Jack Sweeny and volunteers from the City of Diboll, Diboll Christian Outreach, Diboll Pilot Club, Diboll Garden Club, Even Start, KST Daycare, Santa and All Volunteers, Diboll Housing Authority, Diboll Police Department, DISD Faculty and Staff, DISD Food Service, First Bank and Trust, Pouland's Everything Store and DISD National Honor Society under the direction of Daniel Lopez and Mary Ingram.

Volunteers from the Diboll Christian Outreach along with several other volunteers, chopped and prepared fresh ingredients for Wednesday's luncheon feast. The funding for this years luncheon came from the Diboll Housing Foundation. DISD Faculty and Staff, Diboll State Bank, First Bank and Trust, Diboll Christian Outreach and a host of other donors donated door prizes. During the event, An Sweeny of Diboll Christian Outreach, honored Margie Harrell with roses, for all of her hard work and dedication toward the organizing and preparing for the Annual Senior Christmas Luncheon.

As the audience warmed up to the joyous caroling of Diboll Primary and Katherine Sage Temple Child Daycare Center students, the glow of Christmas filled the air. Marking the official opening of the Christmas Season were the welcoming sounds of O'Holy Night, sung by Nita Hurley of First United Methodist of Diboll.