General News
23 December, 2025
Christmas with Us a cause to celebrate
Feeding hundreds of mouths and giving them all a present takes more than a Christmas miracle to succeed, instead an army of volunteers, busy preparing for one of their largest Christmas with Us events.
A logistic miracle isn’t only pulled off by Santa on Christmas Day, but also the Carisbrook Lions Club, who will host hundreds of people for Christmas lunch.
A merry spread worthy of the jolly man himself will be whipped up once again for the Christmas with Us community lunch.
Championed by Carisbrook Lions Club president Jefferson Hoober, alongside a merry band of volunteers, the team will feed and give presents to hundreds of people on Christmas Day.
It’s a tradition passed forward between community groups over the decades. It began with a small group of locals, before being passed to Vision Australia, and then the Carisbrook Lions Club in the early 2000s.
“It’s about kids, it’s about families, it’s about having a feed, going home with a Christmas present, and having a fantastic day,” Mr Hoober said.
Anyone is welcome at the free alcohol-free event at the Maryborough Harness Racing Club, for any reason, they just need to register before Christmas Eve.
Registrations can be made at Maryborough’s IGA, Chimney Cafe, or Central Goldfields Visitor Information Centre.
Dietary requirements can be accommodated, and a bus with pick up starting from 10 am is available for those who booked.
“We don’t want anyone to sit at home and think they’re not welcome to come here Christmas Day,” he said.
“I’m forever saying where are you going Christmas Day, and when some people are sitting at home, I say no you’re not you’re coming with us.”
Last week 240 people had already registered, but Mr Hoober is expecting 300, a not unfamiliar crowd for the event in recent years.
“You’re packed in like sardines but the people who come here wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
“It’s just a buzz.”
It’s a feat which could be waved away as a Christmas miracle if not for the volunteered hours and community support.
Among the army of helper elves is Carol Khamar. She spent her birthday afternoon wrapping the event’s presents this year and wakes up at 5 am Christmas Day to cook the lunch.
“Me going in and just cooking a normal roast meal is the least I can do,” she said.
Normal is a description only possible because she’s volunteered her time for just shy of five years.
Before sunrise Christmas morning she will cook 40 kilograms of pork, the same amount in turkey, as well as 1000 roast potatoes and 300 pieces of pumpkin.
“I might go into work 5 am and put on all the meat, quickly duck home and wake the kids up, do all the presents and then come back to work and smash everything else out,” Ms Khamar said.
Meanwhile Mr Hoober’s wife, Kate Hoober, will be cooking 15 kilograms of corn, the same in carrots, decorating 12 pavlovas and getting puddings ready with custard.
Ms Khamar said she does it to help others.
“It’s pretty cliche but just keep being kind to one another. You never know what someone is going through. Keep smiling, keep being kind,” she said.
Among that group is Ms Khamar herself whose selfless merry hides a time of tragedy.
She was 16-weeks pregnant when her unborn daughter Kacey died two months ago.
December’s busy preparations for the lunch, too, are shadowed by her father’s death that month two years ago.
Despite these traumas, however, Ms Khamar said she’s still onboard with Christmas with Us because it brings her joy.
“I can still put one foot in front of the other and keep going,” she said.
“I know my dad would be proud and I’m sure my daughter would have been proud as well. I do it for them.”