Treat Me Good Cafe Alice Springs serves up a free Christmas lunch for the Alice Springs community
The Red Centre capital has been treated to a special Christmas lunch, thanks to dozens of volunteers who gave up their Christmas Day. See the pics.
Alice Springs
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December 25, updated: Dozens of volunteers have come together in the Red Centre to make Christmas Day one to remember for dozens of families, providing more than 300 hundred meals – and company – for Alice Springs residents.
Organised by Treat Me Good Cafe owner Shahnie Fitisemanu, she said the day wouldn’t have gone as smooth as it did without the help of more than 20 volunteers.
“It’s happened because everyone’s made it happen,” she said.
Held in the Desert Knowledge Precinct, south of Alice Springs, among those helping out was Daze.
He was behind the deck spinning Afrobeats and more, providing lunch with a low-key ambient soundtrack.
But missing from the playlist was Christmas music, and Daze had a reason why: he didn’t want attendees “to listen to too much” “because it gets a little bit boring”.
Kimberly Murphy was also helping out, tasked with one of the most important roles of the day: dishing out donated presents to kids who rocked up.
“It’s nice to be able to do something that gives back on Christmas,” she said.
Ms Murphy, originally from Melbourne, said she was only town for a week before she answered the call to volunteer at the Christmas lunch.
More than 100 people streamed the doors on, among them Sharon Ken, who said she was “really excited” when she arrived.
Punters who rocked up were treated to Christmas ham, a choice of salads, deserts, and more.
But for Ms Fitisemanu, it was more than helping those who might not have somewhere to go on Christmas – it was about bringing the community together.
“We’re a small enough town to be able to gather regularly, and that’s the way that we kind of get to know who’s who in the community and that’s how we get to be better together,” she said.
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December 23: All Alice Springs residents are welcome to a special lunch on what’s forecast to be a scorching Christmas Day, with the hosts aiming to bring the community together while helping those in need.
Organised by the owner of Treat Me Good Cafe, Shahnie Fitisemanu, the lunch will be held on Christmas Day in the Desert Knowledge Precinct, south of Alice Springs.
Preparations for the lunch began on Monday, with dozens of volunteers busy organising the countless donations which have come through the door, alongside getting food ready for lunch.
“We know that food hardship is something that’s quite prominent here in Alice. It’s not just a Christmas time thing, it’s an all year round thing,” she said.
“But we just thought if we can provide this, then that will alleviate some stress and pressure of families and individuals that didn’t know (what) they were going to do on Christmas Day.”
The menu will be a “traditional” Christmas lunch, Ms Fitisemanu said, with plenty of colder options and deserts available on the day.
Christmas Day temperatures in the Red Centre are forecast to reach 43C, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
And aside from the lunch, Ms Fitisemanu said 150 meals will also be delivered out to those in need.
A’Hara, who was volunteering on Monday, said everyone would be welcome on Christmas Day.
“This is not about means on Christmas Day, it’s about community. It’s about coming together and being with people you wouldn’t otherwise meet,” she said.
“I would like to say to people who are on their own for the day or wondering what to do, come and join us, because it’s just a good time.”
This will be the fifth Christmas lunch Ms Fitisemanu has put on for the community, with the first taking place during Covid-19 with aim to reconnect people.
She said it’s great to see the community helping out anyway they can.
“For example, we’ve got a beautiful family that their children actually chose to not receive presents this year and so they chose to use that budget to buy presents for kids that are coming here,” she said.
Those who couldn’t make it down in person have also been donating to the lunch online, with more than $6,000 raised so far.
The Christmas lunch starts at 11am, and is set to wrap up later in the afternoon.
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