Close to 200 gathered in the gymnasium at the Rubenstein Center to celebrate the holidays, visit with family, and enjoy entertainment provided by the cadets.
The holidays are often a stressful time for those displaced, so the event provided a chance for families to visit loved ones and to enjoy customary holiday activities.
There are currently 44 cadets living at Rubenstein Center. For the Christmas program, about 40 relatives equaling 10 families came to support their sons. “We are real fortunate to have several parents here tonight,” Superintendent Dan Dilly said.
Dilly explained that the number of cadets at Rubenstein is slightly higher right now, but he expects a few will be sent home by judges wanting the young men to be with their families for the holidays.
Plans for the Christmas event begin to take shape as early as October. During the planning process, the recreation staff and cadets choose the skits to perform and songs to sing, and then commence practicing.
The cadets and recreation staff created the stage props, which included a cozy living room backdrop, portraits of Rudolph and a mischievous elf, and a stage for the singing puppet skits.
After 12 years at Rubenstein, Recreation Specialist Marlin Sexton is preparing to retire. Sexton reflected on his work, “To watch some of the boys come in here, a lot of them make a complete 180 by the time they leave here. It just makes you feel good, to think maybe I had something to do with it.”
The cadets created Christmas tree shaped ornaments that were sold throughout the event. On one side of the ornament, a cadet described their life before Rubenstein, and on the other side were descriptions of their goals and aspirations after Rubenstein. The proceeds of the symbolic Christmas gift went to charity.
Food Service Supervisor Betty Nester and her staff of four concocted a delectable holiday meal that exuded care and precision. A veteran of 17 years, she knows preparation of the large-scale dinner is a task for the strong. “We take the first of the week getting stuff ready, slicing our hams, getting our turkeys ready, and then on the day before we are prepping our last stuff,” Nester said.
The Rubenstein Choir brought the evening came to a close by singing a few holiday classics, including a touching rendition of “Silent Night.”
