Alice Swengel has a lot of people to cook for this Christmas and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We just do a dinner for the people here that don’t have family, or anyone or anywhere to go for Christmas Day,” she said.
Alice’s mother, Jean, used to live at the Susquehanna View Apartment complex in Camp Hill, Cumberland County; that’s when she first starting cooking for the seniors.
Now, even though her mother has since moved out, she still comes back every year to keep the tradition alive.
“She could be doing other things with family members and for her to take time and come here on this special day, I think that’s wonderful,” said Michael Stewart who lives at Susquehanna View.
Stewart says he looks forward to this every year.
“It gives people something to do and they can socialize and they get to know each other a little bit more and that’s the good part about it,” he said.
Another good part? Alice is a great cook!
This year she and her sister made everything from turkey and ham to crab cakes.
“It is sort of like a family thing now; it’s growing,” she said.
Alice, along with her friends who have now become family, say they hope this tradition continues to grow.
“We all enjoy this very well and we couldn’t ask for anything better than what the man upstairs gave us,” said resident, Melvin Eichelberger.
“It’s just a blessing for us to be able to do this,” Alice added.
