The community of Prince George was well and truly in the Christmas spirit as far as Bernie Goold is concerned.
"We are just so blessed," Goold said Tuesday.
Enough food and cash donations were gathered to feed more than 300 people during the Christmas Day turkey dinner at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
That's on top of the 225 hampers, delivered to families in need on Dec. 20. A further 40 businesses and groups made up hampers to deliver to families on St. Vincent de Paul's list.
The numbers were no more - but also no less - than those from past years.
"They were pretty average," said Goold, who added other social agencies, churches and at least one downtown restaurant, Twisted Cork, helped relieve the pressure when they put on events of their own on Christmas Day.
"It was nice because it was much more mellow," Goold said of the turkey dinner. "People could sit and visit and have seconds and have extra pie if they wanted.
"At our larger dinners, it's sort of 'Eat up and get out, someone's waiting for your table.'"
St. Vincent's downtown drop-in centre continued to serve meals each day, as it does year-round.
In the lead up to the holiday season, there were three major food drives that raised enough to keep the centre's pantry stocked for the next three months.
One of them was held in the Hart where a tradition that began nine years ago with two families on one street has since grown to 28 families and 31 streets.
"We got 10 pickup loads full of food and toys," Good said. "It was incredible."
Drives by local paramedics and a local radio station added to the total.
"Poverty is 365 days a year and we are so grateful for the outpouring in the month of December but it's also really nice to know some of this food will go to families over the really cold months," Goold said.
About 80 per cent of the food and cash St. Vincent de Paul goes through in a year is raised during the holiday season.
"There are people who donate all year and, honestly, we just see minor miracles at our drop-in centre all throughout the year," Goold said. "When we need something, something turns up."
Salvation Army had not yet received a final figure for the Kettle Campaign, but as of Friday, $193,000 had been raised, said Capt. Neil Wilkinson.
