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Valley News Dispatch

New Kensington-Arnold serves up 900 holiday dinners to its students and families

Mary Ann Thomas

New Kensington-Arnold school holiday dinner

The New Kensington-Arnold School District opened up the holiday dinner, free of charge, to students at all of its schools and their families on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017.


A line wrapped around the hallway to see Santa while the Valley High School's football coach and Arnold's police chief were servers for the first holiday community dinner Wednesday.

The New Kensington-Arnold School District opened up the holiday dinner, free of charge, to students at all of its schools and their families, tallying 900 reservations with staggered dinner times to accommodate the much-welcomed crowd, according to John Pallone, district superintendent.

“It's a great effort,” he said.

“A small town pulling together — you can't ask for anything more,” Pallone said.

The school band played live holiday music while school directors, teachers and staff volunteered as servers.

Manning the green bean and carrot entrées, Valley football coach William “Muzzy” Colosimo and Arnold police Chief Eric Doutt made a persuasive case for eating your vegetables.

School board members hovered around the carving station for the honey-glazed ham and stood at the ready to serve up the mashed potatoes and myriad slices of cakes.

The district's contracted cafeteria manager, Nutrition Inc. of Irwin, suggested the event to the school because of years of successful holiday dinners at the Jeannette City School District, which also contracts with Nutrition Inc., according to Susan Veitch, company vice president.

“The dinners are great community outreach,” Veitch said.

The district is paying about $2,000 for the event, Pallone said.

Students are covered for free under a federal healthy food program, while the district will absorb the cost for the adults, Pallone said.

Opening up the dinner to the families made for a nice evening out, said Rheannon McCorkle of Arnold, who came out with her children, Haileigh and Aubrey, and partner, Kim Francis.

“This is a great idea, and having Santa is good, too,” McCorkle said.

Francis added, “It's a nice event to bring families together and meet each other.”

Crystal Haus of Arnold stood in line with her son and daughter waiting to see Santa.

“It was a wonderful thing to do,” she said. “The kids look happy.”

Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-226-4691, mthomas@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MaThomas_Trib.


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Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Thomas Brooks, Junior ROTC instructor at Valley High School, takes a selfie with his cadets during the first New Kensington-Arnold School District community dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at the high school.
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Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Nicole Bitar, assistant elementary principal of Martin Primary Center and H.D. Berkey Elementary School visits with 8-year-old Raymond Lowry during the first New Kensington-Arnold School District community dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at Valley High School.
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Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Karissa Eckman, 2, tells Santa what she wants for Christmas during the first New Kensington-Arnold School District community dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at Valley High School in New Kensington.
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Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Eight-year-old Ayla Harris thinks hard about what she wants for Christmas during the first New Kensington-Arnold School District community dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at Valley High School in New Kensington.
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Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Cakes and desserts are served during the first New Kensington-Arnold School District community dinner for students and their immediate family members on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at Valley High School in New Kensington.
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Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Guests are served during the first New Kensington-Arnold School District community dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at Valley High School in New Kensington.
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Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Three-year-old Gabriel Hayes tells Santa what he wants for Christmas during the first New Kensington-Arnold School District community dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at Valley High School in New Kensington.
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Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
John Pallone, (right) superintendent of the New Kensington-Arnold School District, welcomes Santa to the first Community Dinner for students and family members on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at Valley High School in New Kensington.