Rose Romita gearing up for her annual community dinner

A tradition of caring and sharing will continue this yuletide season when local big-hearted caterer Rose Romita hosts the 18th edition of Rosie's Annual Community Christmas Dinner.



Rose Romita gets a hand purchasing supplies on Sunday for her 18th Rosie's Annual Community Christmas Dinner from Wholesale Club employee Jonathon White. Using cash donations, Romita buys most of her supplies for her dinners from the Burton Avenue store, which also sells gift cards which area residents can donate to the cause. Call 705 722-7763 to find out how you can help. IAN MCINROY/BARRIE EXAMINER/QMI AGENCY



It will be held on Christmas Day from noon until 6 p.m. at Central United Church, 54 Ross St.

Everyone is welcome to attend, not just the financially challenged or homeless, she said.

"Nobody should go without at this time of year," Romita said on Sunday, while stocking up on supplies at the Wholesale Club store on Burton Avenue.

"People just don't want to be home alone that day. It's not easy to cook for one or two people and there are people who have no family," she said. "Sometimes people have lost a loved one so it's a difficult time of year for them. They come and have a good time instead of staying at home and watching television."

While the event is open to anyone, there are many individuals and families in Barrie who are struggling to get by. During her first Christmas dinner 18 years ago, about 50 meals were served. Last year she served 600.

"The need is definitely there. There's too much month left at the end of the money. What you see out there are people who struggle to keep a roof over their heads and are barely able to pay their hydro bills," she added.

This past Thanksgiving, Romita cooked about 50 turkeys and she's already in the thick of things preparing for the Dec. 25 event.

"At the Thanksgiving Day dinner, they just kept coming and coming. I expect it will be busier (at Christmas). I'll be looking at no less than 75 turkeys this Christmas. If there is food left over they can take it home," she said.

The community dinner isn't just about food; it's also about friendship and fun.

"There's entertainment. Anybody who wants to play is more than welcome and they don't have to professional or anything," she said. "As far as donations go, we prefer cash but we'll definitely take turkeys, desserts, water, pop or juice as well as vegetables and potatoes.

Romita has one problem she is happy to deal with: too many volunteers.

"My phone hasn't stopped ringing in the last month-and-a-half. I have groups of people who offer to help, including families and past customers. They are of all ages and from all walks of life."

Call her at 705 722-7763 to find out how they can help, or look for her on facebook.

Do You Live Your Life Backwards?

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards:
they try to have more things, or more money,
in order to do more of what they want so they will be happier.
The way it actually works is the reverse.
You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do,
in order to have what you want.

~ Margaret Young ~

How true this truly is! We are always striving for more yet never truly satisfied. How often do you strive for “things” or money but at the end of the day, they’re just things. If we don’t start within ourselves and genuinely happy, then it seems no amount of money would change that. Is that right?

I was flipping channels the other night as I wanted to unwind from my day. I see Robert Herjavec (of Dragon’s Den Fame) on an interview and he said the most compelling words. Something like: ‘Your sense of worth is not the stuff you have, it’s the people you have.’ I thought for a long time I had to become rich in order to believe in myself. For my own well-being I had to become rich. I realized if you weren’t happy before you’re not going to be happy with a million dollars or a hundred million or five hundred million.’

Wow. These words hit me and are so very, very true. We must strive for internal happiness and if having regrets, negative feelings or ill-feelings of a situation or memory, it must be dealt with. Why? Because that feeling and memory will always be with you.

What’s the point of striving for only monetary things if thinking that buying this “happiness” would make everything go away? At the end of the day, alone and looking in the mirror, if you’re not happy then the image looking back at you will still be miserable and the feeling that something missing. As you read this blog you may think “no way, money would definitely make me happy and solve everything, she’s crazy because it would make everything go away”. You truly have to look within and ask yourself, would it really? Sure, it may help situations of affordability but look at Robert’s words and he knows from personal experience!

I may not be “rich” or a millionaire monetary-wise but I can’t complain. I am “rich” and blessed with so many things that I value in life and have my priorities. Family, friends, colleagues, networking group, investments, health and a great career that I absolutely love. What matters to me, may not matter to you which is what is great about this world we live in. Sure, I live in visions of wanting to create wealth like anyone else but I also have a personal “Belize” and reason why. Financial freedom for my future but also because I want to give back. My true hearts desire is to be a philanthropist.

Anyway, I want to leave you with a few thoughts and just remember:

“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have.”
So look deep within and do your best to change your attitude and take out any negativity in your life. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals and develop new patterns. Write down in a journal positive words you can use to replace things like “can’t” “problem” etc. For example, instead of saying “problem” I embrace it and say “challenge” because in my mind, I love the challenge and it’s something to overcome
For more on Robert, pick up his book. I did and it was a fantastic, inspiring and humbling read! Few tips he offered:

1. Get a handle on cash flow.
2. Find a belief and a purpose.
3. Don’t fear the phone, ask for the deal.
4. Don’t complain.
5. Give your kids a sense of worth.


I truly wish you much success in your journey of being who you really are, doing what you need to do, in order to have what you want!!

Thanks for viewing! As always, have a great day and remember to “Empower yourself and inspire change in others”