Updated: 7:11 PM EST December 25, 2020
The annual Christmas dinner put on by local businessman Bob Bolus took place on Friday.
It s a tradition in the city of Scranton, however, this year looked a little different due to COVID-19.
This year, instead of St. Patrick s Cathedral, it was held at Holy Cross Hall on 5th Avenue.
The dinner was also done via take-out and delivery.
Due to a smaller kitchen at Holy Cross Hall, many other locations around the area helped out with cooking. We re using one in Olyphant right now and one of the restaurants called and we just 15 more turkeys over and they re cooking them up now, just reheating them because we don t have the capacity to do it here and I don t want anybody to go without a meal, said Bob Bolus.
Bolus Christmas dinner: takeout and delivery at new venue
A Christmas tradition in Scranton will look a little different this year and it will have a new home.
Credit: WNEP Author: WNEP Web Staff Updated: 1:35 PM EST December 24, 2020
SCRANTON, Pa. Businessman Bob Bolus holds a Christmas dinner for friends and for those who don t have a place to go on Christmas. But this year, the 27th annual dinner will be different because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event starts at noon, but it will be takeout and delivery only. Organizers hope to deliver about 300 dinners.
Folks can also pick up their meals at the dinner s new location at Holy Cross Hall, Fifth Avenue and Broadway Street in Scranton.
Businessman Bob Bolusâ annual Christmas dinner will continue this year at a new Scranton venue in a takeout and delivery format after coronavirus concerns prompted a change of plans.
For the past several years, Bolus and his volunteers have used a kitchen at All Saints Academy â a Diocese of Scranton elementary school adjacent to St. Patrickâs Church on Jackson Street â to prepare the holiday meal they served in the schoolâs cafeteria. Bolus, who already planned to limit the 27th dinner to takeout and delivery amid the pandemic, said he learned in recent weeks he would not be able to use the kitchen to prepare food due to COVID-19 concerns.