Tradition of twice-monthly Sanbornton Senior Sunday Dinners continues

Senior Sunday Dinners have been a Sanbornton tradition for 27 years. The program, which is sponsored by all three town churches, was begun at the Congregational Church on Meetinghouse Hill Road in January 1982. The hearty Sunday dinners provide a good home-cooked meal and the opportunity to socialize with old friends and meet new ones. The February 8 dinner at the First Baptist Church of Sanbornton featured roast beef and mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots, homemade rolls and butter, coffee or grape juice and chocolate cake with mint ice cream and whipped cream.

From the beginning there has been no charge, but guests are asked to make a small donation to cover the cost of the food.

Meals are served twice a month, usually on the second and fourth Sundays; a schedule of dates and locations is available. Call 279 -8848, and leave your name and address with a request for Senior Dinner Schedule. The next dinner will be held on Sunday, February 22, at 12:15 p.m., at the Congregational Church, 21 Meetinghouse Hill Road, off Route 132 in Sanbornton Square.

The membership of the three churches includes residents of surrounding towns, and seniors may invite guests; attendance is not restricted to Sanbornton residents, nor to church goers.

Attendance has ranged from a high of 40 to a low of 19 and averages about 30. Each church can accommodate up to 40 comfortably. Volunteers cook and serve their best recipes. These include chicken pot pie, barbecued pork chops, beef stew made with tenderloin tips, pot roast, apricot chicken and savory meat loaf. There are always fresh vegetables or salads, rolls and butter and delicious desserts such as apple cake, blueberry cobbler, rhubarb crisp and chiffon pie. Most of our guests feel that all desserts taste better with whipped cream or ice cream, and that is how they are usually served.

The food is important, but the time to visit with friends is cherished. Guests often linger after the meal to continue their conversations. For more information or if you need transportation, contact Dolly Elliot at 286-4574; or Rea Alkema or Diane Farrell at 279-8848.