Since 2002, Maryville's Business and Professional Women (BPW)  have organized a It's a Real Christmas –– a dinner with all the trimmings served on Christmas Day at the Nodaway County Senior Center.

Connie McGinness, chairperson for It's a Real Christmas, said the BPW organization has had a wonderful time in the past six years being involved with the Real Christmas dinner. She said it was a very rewarding experience.

The festive dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Christmas Day at the Senior Center, 1210 E. First St. Everyone is welcome to come share the food and fellowship.
The menu will include turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, a vegetable relish tray, cranberry relish, rolls, coffee, tea, water, fruit drink and several kinds of pie.  

McGinness said Amie Firavich, administrator at the Senior Center  has been in the thick of the planning and organizing for the Real Christms dinner.

"Amie took over as administrator last year and again this year she is assisting with everything from planning, ordering food, to being in charge of the meals that will be delivered," McGinness said. "With her cooperation and assistance the dinner gets done with great ease."
Connie McGinness said BPW's success in organizing the event is due to the great deal of assistance and support from many businesses and individuals throughout the community, as well as the number of volunteers who lend a hand each year.

"We need dish washers, drink servers, greeters, line servers, pie servers, table hosts, people to bus tables and clean up," McGinness said. "We need between 30 and 40 pies –– sugarless and regular. If anyone can assist with any of these things, they can call to let me know what kind of job they want to do and how many people they will bring to help."

Anyone interested in volunteering can call McGinness at (660) 582-4898.

Volunteer drivers are also needed to deliver meals on wheels. Meals will be delivered to a number of individuals, as well as those working on Christmas Day at Public Safety, the county sheriff's office, Campus Safety and the Ambulance District. Anyone interested in helping with deliveries call Firavich at the Senior Center at (660) 562-2999 for delivery times and directions.

Because more guests are expected at the event this year, McGinness said they will not only need more volunteer helpers, but monetary donations to purchase the food as well.

"We are anticipating around 400 guests and deliveries this year," McGinness said. "We will not be receiving some of our regular food donations that we have received in the past from students at Northwest Missouri State University through Aramark Food Services, so we will have to purchase more food this year."

McGinness said WalMart and Hy-Vee have donated items in the past and several banks, businesses and individuals have made donations to purchase food.

The Maryville Greater Chamber of Commerce, Nodaway News Leader, Maryville Daily Forum and KNIM have graciously gotten the information out to the public.

It's a Real Christmas originated in 1990 and, at that time, was sponsored by the Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce MCCA committee. After sponsoring the event 12 years, the committee asked for another group to take over the leadership of the event. The BPW was willing to take over and have continued sponsorship since that time.