Not alone on Christmas

Hundreds lined up in frigid temperatures outside Parkinson Recreation Centre in Kelowna for a hot meal and some companionship on Christmas Day.

Victory Life Fellowship hosted its 13th annual Christmas dinner, cooked by chef Jeremy Luypen and members of the Okanagan Chefs Association.

"Our whole premise for this event is that no one should spend Christmas alone. There's no registration required, no criteria, just come and show up," said event organizer Colleen McCallum. 

The event draws about 400 people from all walks of life, who are treated to a hot turkey dinner with all the trimmings and mounds of chocolatey desserts.

"We like to treat them like they're at our home having Christmas with us. We serve them at their table. The chefs this year made us gravy from scratch. There's cranberries, turkey, there's stuffing, there's mixed vegetables and dessert at the end as well," McCallum said.

VLF pastor Dieter Tripke attended with his family including his four-month-old grandson, Osker.

There were 130 volunteers and more showed up at the back door during the dinner.

"At this event we have many volunteers that also do not want to spend Christmas by themselves and they want to give of themselves at this time of year. They have tremendous hearts," he said.