(828) 693-5115
Bill Gollnick is the "Chief Cook & Bottlewasher," in charge of the kitchen. He assigns jobs to the volunteers who signed up to work in the kitchen, cooks, and Bill added beef brisket to Bounty's menu. For the few days prior, and on Christmas day, the kitchen is a "beehive" of activity, preparing the makings for almost 3,000 meals. Bill ensures that things run smoothly.
(Photo by Steve Rice)
Long before the dinner guests arrive, the "Home Delivered Meals" portion of the Bounty Christmas Dinner goes into operation. This takes place between the hours of 10:00 am and 1:00 pm. Bill keeps close watch on the "line" that fills the containers for delivered meals as each driver arrives on Christmas morning. Making sure the line runs smoothly inside, ensures that drivers outside can proceed quickly through the loading process.
This is what the "Home Delivered Meals" portion of the Bounty Christmas Day Dinner looks like from the Kitchen's point of view. These meals are assembled as the drivers arrive on Christmas morning, and will be delivered to homes of the elderly and homebound who cannot get to the dining hall. The line will assemble anywhere between 1100 to 1200 meals in a three hour period. You can see by the faces of the volunteers that it is a truly rewarding experience to contribute one's time on Christmas Morning to such a great effort.
100 pounds of cranberries, 70 oranges, 135 tart apples, 2 gallons fresh orange juice, 80 pounds of sugar and a "blend" of seasonings combine to make 35 gallons of the best cranberry sauce you've ever tasted!.
(BJ says he's no pot-stirrer, but I think this picture proves otherwise.)
28 pounds of butter, 28 pounds of brown sugar, 2 gallons maple syrup, 1 pound vanilla and a half pound "fresh squoze" lemon juice. It's all combined with the cooked and mashed sweet potatoes to produce a mouth-watering flavor to delight your taste buds.
NOTICE: Because it is a Christmas Dinner, all calories have been removed, so go ahead and have a second helping!
Sam Altomere cooks the onions.
How could any feast be prepared without fresh cooked onions? Bounty cooks 'em up by the pound! It smells great, but it brings a tear to your eye!
If you would like to volunteer to work in the kitchen, leave a voice message by calling the Bounty Of Bethlehem volunteer line at 693-5115, which will be activated around Thanksgiving, and selecting option 1. Or, you may attend the volunteer sign-up meeting at the Immaculata School gymnasium. Details will be published in the local media prior to the event, and also on our schedule page. Remember, without volunteers, there would be no Bounty Of Bethlehem Christmas Dinner.