A Christmas dinner for all
<p>Matt and Janet McConville will host a Christmas dinner for more than 70 people at the United Methodist Church in Columbia Falls.</p>
It was a whim, more than anything.
“What if we invited people to Christmas dinner who didn’t have any place to go?” Janet McConville asked her husband Matt a few weeks ago.
The McConvilles are no stranger to big events — the couple organized Heritage Days in Columbia Falls for seven years, growing it a little bigger each year. But a free Christmas dinner was a first.
“Matt looked at me as if I lost my marbles,” Janet said.
Despite suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and crippling arthritis, Janet made some flyers and put them around town, including the Columbia Falls Food Bank, the North Valley Senior Center and the Klothes Kloset.
Before long, more than 70 people had signed up. A host of other residents donated food and funds to make it a true holiday feast — all unsolicited.
“We’ve had $302 in donations we didn’t ask for,” Janet said, plus six turkeys and four hams.
Janet’s daughters Rita and Darla will be cooking pies — more than 25 total — and they’ll have modest Christmas gifts for everyone.
“This town is amazing,” Janet said. “We still have that small town attitude to help one another.”
The couple lives in a small home kitty-corner from the United Methodist Church, where the dinner will be held. The church has allowed them use of their fellowship hall, but it’s not a church function, Janet notes. There’s no way she could host that many people in her home, she said. Janet and Matt are members of the church.
“All are invited to attend,” the McConvilles said. “Because no matter the reason, no one needs to spend Christmas alone.”
Janet grew up in Denton, and Matt grew up in Whitefish. The two hit it off on a New Year’s Eve while dancing at the Blue Moon. She accidentally broke her thumb when she hit it into Matt’s chest. They’ve been married for 30 years.
Matt is a manager at Cardinal True Value Hardware in Evergreen.
The couple is looking forward to the dinner and the fellowship. Latecomers will not be turned away.
The church is located on Second Avenue West in Columbia Falls. The dinner starts at 2 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m. A shuttle service is available. There will be a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus, board games and the movie “Elf” will be shown for the children.
“It should be my best Christmas ever,” Janet said.