Just what do people need during the holidays?

Presents? Money? Time?

Carl Brown and his buddy Lee Grim set out last year to provide a simple Christmas dinner to people in the community who needed it.

But the Christmas Day Community Dinner revealed that people often need more during the holidays than a meal — they need a sense of camaraderie, community, and to feel needed. All that was provided and more.

More than 450 people were fed and the event raised more than $4,000 for the Falls Hunger Coalition. Local businesses and people provided an estimated $1,100 in food for the dinner.

Was the food good? Absolutely. Were spirits and a sense of community raised? Completely. Can it happen again? Clearly.

Plans are underway for this year’s Christmas Day Community Dinner that will  provide dinner and fill other needs for the community from 3-7 p.m. at the RoadHouse Niteclub. Delivered meals will available for people who are homebound.

Organizers send the community this message: “Come for any reason centered around love, giving, joy — any of the sentiments that the Christmas spirit stirs within your heart.”

If it’s a need to be needed, and a camaraderie and community you’re looking for, there’s a variety of ways to get involved. Volunteers are needed for many tasks and donations will be accepted. Being a part of such an event can be a true gift.

To find out how to get involved, see the Nov. 30 edition of The Journal for a listing of the people to contact.

Organizers, especially Grim and Brown, deserve thanks from the community for creating a way that we can all get what we truly need on Christmas Day.