ST. PAUL – Members of the community gathered at the Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre on Dec. 9 to enjoy an early Christmas dinner.
The Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre’s (MNFC) annual Christmas dinner is an acknowledgement of the community as a whole, according to Dennis Steinhauer, MNFC program director.
Indigenous or not, the dinner was open to anybody, said Steinhauer. In addition, he explained the dinner is a way “to extend our love through offering food and gifts,” as well as “acknowledgement of one another.”
“That’s so important,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to one another.”
He added, the dinner is offered to all people “regardless of their status, whether they’re employed or unemployed... Whether they make a good salary – that’s irrelevant to us.”
What is important, according to Steinhauer, is the appreciation of all those who came out to visit.
Many people travelled from smaller communities outside St. Paul, “and it just makes us feel good to be able to do that for the people of this community and the surrounding communities,” said Steinhauer.
The dinner was not funded through a grant or any monetary donation from the government but was funded by donations from community members. Steinhauer thanked community members who sponsored and donated at the event, “because they really stepped up this year.”
He also acknowledged that many people are struggling to put food on the table this holiday season, while others are new to the community and require some extra support.
“So, we try to be that family for them, and we try to be inclusive,” said Steinhauer.
