by Lisa Schauer
Close to 350 people were served at the 35th annual Hancock Lions Club Christmas dinner on Saturday, December 20 in the town’s American Legion.
Members of Hancock Lions Club and Hancock Lioness Lions Club prepared and served 18 turkeys with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and succotash.
A dessert table tempted, with homemade cakes, pies and cookies.
Both Hancock’s Girl Scout troops, 15055 and 15127, were represented, serving beverages and clearing tables.
Longtime Hancock Lions Club member Carl Pelton of Warfordsburg peeled potatoes for the club’s first Christmas dinner in 1990.
Pelton said the menu hasn’t changed since. He attends every year.
“We did it for the community to get together and socialize, enjoy the Christmas spirit, not because they were hungry,” Pelton recalled.
On Saturday, club members said a line formed at 11:30 a.m. outside the Legion. Tables quickly filled, and the last turkey was carved at 2 p.m.
Of the total, around 75 meals were packed to go.
“A ten-dollar meal means something to someone who has trouble getting here. If they have a neighbor or someone who could do something nice, why not?” asked a Hancock Lions Club leader at the table.
