Holiday Inn holds third
free Christmas banquet for Kanata-based homes
Thursday, December
21, 2006 -- Craig Anderson
A free banquet for residents of Forest Hill and
Garden Terrace hosted by the nearby Holiday Inn
Kanata provides a yearly opportunity to bring
Christmas joy to the hotel’s neighbours,
says Kristine Dempster, general manager.
“It’s a chance for the
staff to give back to the community,” says
Dempster.
Now in its third year, the hotel
will host more than sixty residents from Forest
Hill and Garden Terrace at the banquet today,
which features a four course meal and entertainment
from local musician Tyler Kealy. It is held in
the hotel’s 170-person capacity banquet
hall.
Last year, the banquet atmosphere,
replete with fine-dining table arrangements and
servers dressed to the nines, delighted the residents,
says Carolyn Della-Foresta, life enrichment coordinator
at Forest Hil.
“It’s their way of giving
at this time,” she says.
Each resident also receives a poinsettia
at the banquet’s completion.
Shannon Boisvenue, LEC at Garden
Terrace, says that the spots for the lunch banquet
fill up rapidly, and even some family members
expressed interest in attending.
“It’s a really nice
time,” says Boisvenue.
The yearly Christmas banquet was
in part inspired by an annual senior’s lunch
hosted by a manager at a Kingston-based Holiday
Inn, says Dempster.
Dempster adds that last year’s
banquet, where the Earl of March High School band
played, was unique as the mix of seniors and high
school students created a “real warmth”
in the room.
Like last year, St. Nick will undoubtedly
make an appearance in 2006, performing an old
chestnut or two, she adds.
Dempster, echoed by James King,
Director of Sales and yearly banquet organizer,
says that the hotel will continue to host the
banquet as a respectful, neighbourly gesture.
“It’s very important
for us to continue to do,” says Dempster,
“to bring happiness to people’s lives.
These people are part of our heritage and history
and we have a commitment to honour that.”
King adds that he encourages staff
to “smell the roses” at these events
by enjoying themselves and appreciating the residents
and the moment.
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