Bounty of Bethlehem, set to serve 2,500 Christmas Day meals, seeks volunteers
HENDERSONVILLE — Since the mid-1980s, Bounty of Bethlehem has been serving a Christmas Day feast for the community, and that tradition will continue this year with 2,500 meals served at a sit-down dinner for the first time since 2019 at The Salvation Army.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, the event wasn't held in 2020 and was take-out only last year. For the 39th Bounty of Bethlehem, it will return to its usual format of an in-person, sit-down meal. Bounty of Bethlehem is 100% volunteer-led, according to Annamarie Jakubielski, the director of the annual event, and volunteers are needed once again to make it happen.
"It takes a bundle of volunteers to, once again, make Henderson County’s Bounty of Bethlehem a living, exciting celebration of Christmas," she said.
Although the meal is served at ?? on Christmas Day, volunteers are needed before and after the event, Jakubielski said.
"From Dec. 20-26, hundreds of volunteers are needed to cut, peel, mash, clean, decorate, stack, prepare, cook and serve dinner at this annual Christmas festivity," she said.
Bounty of Bethlehem is a Christmas dinner, served free on Christmas Day to anyone who would like to come. It is a full menu, including turkey, stuffing, gravy, ham, potatoes, veggies, dessert and all the trimmings. It includes live music, Christmas décor and a festive air of celebration.
"This sumptuous meal is served to the community by community volunteers," Jakubielski said.
The event also includes dinners for Meals-on-Wheels to take to shut-ins and the elderly. Bounty of Bethlehem volunteers also prepare and take meals to local law enforcement, along with firefighters and paramedics working on the holiday.
"Police, fire and EMTs will once again be blessed by having their bountiful dinner delivered to them while they’re on duty Christmas Day," Jakubielski said.
Bounty of Bethlehem will be holding a volunteer sign-up day from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 3 at The Salvation Army. But for those who can't make it that day, another option is to register online at this address: https://bit.ly/3FgpjsJ or to call 828-845-4277 and leave a message.
"We always need new enthusiastic people to be a part of this Henderson County tradition. What better way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas than by giving of yourself and your time?" Jakubielski said.
Bounty of Bethlehem is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization. Tax-deductible financial gifts are also welcomed to help with the costs, and checks can be made out to Bounty of Bethlehem and mailed to PO Box 742, Horse Shoe, NC 28742.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Bounty of Bethlehem, set to serve 2,500 Christmas Day meals, seeks volunteers
