More than 100 seventh-graders from Windsor Central Middle School gathered Friday morning at The American Legion on Main Street in Binghamton to prepare for the Bandera Family’s annual Christmas dinner.
The annual free meal is offered to community members at multiple locations on Christmas Day. At the American Legion downtown location, students have packed between 1,400 and 1,700 to-go bags for the upcoming dinner.
The Christmas meal will consist of turkey, ham, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes with gravy, vegetables, soup, drinks, homemade cookies and desserts. Each meal includes a take-away bag filled with applesauce, cranberry sauce, chips, candy canes and two home-baked cookies.
The Bandera Family and Community Alliance continues the tradition of serving thousands of meals to the community on Christmas Day.
‘You’re going to make someone’s day’
The Bandera Family Christmas Dinner has been a tradition for 35 years, serving meals to the community on Christmas Day for those in need. A group of 68 people first gathered at the American Legion Post 80 in 1989 to serve free home-cooked meals, and it became a tradition built and maintained by the community over the years.
Hosting the Christmas dinner each year is “an honor,” says Bill Bandera, president of The Bandera Family and Community Alliance, and a way for him to honor his parents after taking over the event in 2010.
Earlier this year, Bandera suffered a stroke, but said he made a “quick and miraculous” recovery, allowing him to continue the tradition he holds so close to his heart.
“I honestly plan on doing it for 50 years,” he said. ‘Why not? We’re already over half way there.’
Windsor students have helped put on the dinner for the past decade.
Isaac Fisher, who is a seventh grader at Windor Central Middle School, said it means a lot to him to volunteer and spread some Christmas cheer, “just feeling like you’re packing those lunches and feeling like you’re making someone’s day will make good.”
This year, Bandera expects to serve approximately 4,500 to 5,000 meals across its various locations and deliveries.
“We touched lives,” Bandera said, “even if it’s just for a day, it’s a day to give and spread love within the community.”
Christmas dinner is served at the following locations:
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The American Legion (Norwich)29 Sheldon St
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The American Legion (Binghamton)Main Street 76
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The American Legion (Sidney)Union St.
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St. Ambrose Church (Endicott): 203 Washington Ave.
For anyone who can’t make it to one of the eateries on Christmas Day, call 211 to place an order for delivery. All sit-in dinners are served on Wednesdays from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, with delivery available from any location starting at 9:30 AM.
The team of delivery drivers goes much further, Bandera said, “delivering meals to the outskirts of the provinces, people who can’t get here or are locked up.”
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Bandera Christmas Dinner Turns 35: How the Annual Event Will Continue
