By Phyllis Swebilius
Register Staff
pswebilius@nhregister.com

WEST HAVEN — Brother and sister Nicolas and Georgette Anthis opened the doors of Georgie’s Diner to serve a free Christmas dinner to the community Saturday.

Dinner was served 3-6 p.m. at the 427 Elm St. eatery. Children who attended were given a new toy as they left.

Georgette Anthis began greeting guests at about 2:45, when she said she had 150 reservations. The staff was preparing for 300 meals, and expected a lot of walk-ins, she said.

The siblings have owned the diner for two years, and this was the first time they served a community Christmas dinner.

Nicolas Anthis was working in the kitchen. Their mother, Irene Anthis, was helping out front. The entire staff volunteered to work.

“It’s really nice to help somebody who want to get a hot meal on Christmas,” said staffer Dora Sambuco of New Haven. “Everybody deserves a hot meal on Christmas.”

The menu included a choice of roast turkey, meatloaf or lasagna with all the trimmings, along with a beverage, and cake for dessert.

Much of the food was donated by vendors, she said.

Many guests went to the dinner to share some holiday spirit.

“I read about it in the paper,” said Davida Wilson of New Haven, and figured it would be a nice thing to do on Christmas Eve.” She was dining with her sister, Keisha Frederick, and son, Isaiah McCown, 7, also of New Haven. Continued...

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Some, like Robert Thibodeau of Stratford, whose work is seasonal, can use the hot meal.

“This is helping us out big-time,” he said.

He was at a window booth with Kristie Durand and A.J. Martin, also of Stratford.

He said he eats at the Beth El Shelter soup kitchen in Milford, which is where he heard about the meal.

To join the festivities, all people had to do was call in advance and tell the staff their choice of main course.

Hundreds of unwrapped toys were donated by customers to give to guests with children.

The response from the diner’s regular clientele was “amazing,” Anthis said. “People have been coming in with bagfuls.”

One woman donated a toy, then brought back two more bags full, Anthis said.

As a guest was leaving, Georgette Anthis accepted a hug and words of gratitude, which left everyone on the staff teary-eyed.

Asked if she would serve the community meal again, she said, “Absolutely.” Continued...

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