Cynthia Barnard watches as Rachel Mitchell, 6, and Izzy Carusone, 7, right, serve desserts at Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church’s free Christmas Day dinner Wednesday. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald WESTBROOK — If not for t he annual Community Christmas Day Dinner at the Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, Ellen Burrill would be serving 20 siblings, nephews, nieces and others. “It’s a nice place to come when you don’t want to cook,” she said.
Burrill, decked out in a festive red sweater with a brooch fashioned to resemble a wreath, joined her sister, Cathy Giobbi, 76, who attended the dinner for the first time. The two women informed their would-be guests, who hail from Maine, Arkansas, Florida, Maryland and elsewhere, that Christmas dinner would be different this year. “It’s a lot of work,” said Burrill, who is 81.
And, she added, “they all like to eat.” Ellen Burrill thanks volunteer Joy Knight, right, after having Christmas dinner at the Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church with her sister Cathy Giobbi. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald “I suggested coming here,” Giobbi said.
“She got out of cooking and I got a wonderful meal.” Joy Knight, coordinator of the dinner that began 18 years ago, said 300 meals, donated and cooked, were expected to be served with 50 take-outs. “People just need an extra meal or they can’t cook,” she said.
“I never liked Christmas until I started working here. I used to go to a Chinese restaurant .
