NOEL Brings Meals, Christmas Cheer To Eastern Shore - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

OCEAN CITY, Md. - At St. Paul's by-the-Sea, Christmas Day is about "nothing other than eating and loving."

"People are smiling," said Katie Coffman, a NOEL Community volunteer. "People are enjoying themselves, both the guests and the volunteers."

"We sent five meals over to the 7-Eleven, so that the people working behind the counter could have a hot meal," said Rev. Carl Mosley of Church of the Holy Spirit in Ocean City.

NOEL Community started the dinner 15 years ago, feeding around 1500 free hot meals each Christmas to the hungry, the lonely and anyone in-between. This Christmas, over a 100 residents from all across the Delmarva Peninsula came through the church's doors.

"I like the people and I enjoy myself," said Maria Sexton of Ocean City.
     
"I can see it's very friendly down here because they give you a place," said Richard Harmon, who recently moved to Ocean City with his family. "If you don't have nothing to eat, they give you something to eat."

Travis Pitts of Salisbury says when he walked in, "like woo, a lot of people know about this church. They like free stuff."

Mike Finstad came all the way from Accomack County just to take home some food for neighbors.   

'They really are on a limited budget where they cant afford to have a meal," said Finstad. "This way, they have a hot meal, also."

To the volunteers, there's no place they'd rather be.

"This is where I want to be on Christmas Day and I think most of the volunteers feel that way, too," said Coffman.

"Oh I'm here," said Rev. Mosley. "I'm not going to be anywhere else but here."

The NOEL Community says that every year, because of the many generous food and monetary donations, they will be able to host a free Saturday meal at St. Paul's until April.