Every day, volunteers gather at St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen to feed people who struggle to afford a meal.
Today, Aaron Best and his fiancée, Debra McAlary, hope those regular volunteers take a deserved rest.
"They are home doing their family thing," said Mr. Best, a Scranton resident who volunteers at the kitchen every Christmas. "This has become our family thing."
Mr. Best and Ms. McAlary are among the hundreds of area residents who spend a few hours on the holiday just helping. The opportunities are plentiful; many involve serving a meal.
David Mosier, also a city resident, has helped at Bob Bolus' annual Christmas dinner for about a decade, "working the line to make sure that the food is hot and fresh."
"To be honest with you, I'd say that the majority of people that go there, if it weren't for that dinner they wouldn't have Christmas dinner at all," he said.
His celebration of Christmas has become inseparable from the community feast, open to anyone happy for food or company. He plans to join the serving line at about 1 p.m. "When my wife plans Christmas Day, she knows I'll be away for a few hours," he said.
Christmas inspires good will, charity, generosity, compassion - feelings that spur volunteerism throughout the year, when the need is equally great but less obvious.
Jennifer Wynn, volunteer coordinator for the Voluntary Action Center, said it would be helpful if people would commit today to volunteer in March or August when fewer people think of it.
"Volunteering can be life changing," she said. "People think they are doing it to be kind, but it winds up changing their life."
Mr. Best, who does not celebrate Christmas, hopes that helping today honors the people who help every day. A therapist who has worked for service agencies and nonprofit organizations, he has seen the impact of volunteers' kindness on his clients when they offer a visit, a pizza party, a Christmas stocking.
"It's awesome when other people step in and are able to provide something that builds that sense of self-worth through community," he said. Today, his family will be passing out food, and gifts of blankets and toiletries. They will be joined by dozens of others eager to make it part of their day.
"It is something that we look forward to," Ms. McAlary said. "It's become our Christmas tradition."
Contact the writer: llegere@timesshamrock.com