https://archive.triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/new-kensington-arnold-serves-up-900-holiday-dinners-to-its-students-and-families/
New Kensington-Arnold serves up 900 holiday dinners to its students and families
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.
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.
Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)