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"Community members, Red Andrews family members and long time event volunteers gathered today to announce plans for a new organization to continue the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner and its mission of serving Oklahomans in need on Christmas Day.An Oklahoma City traditional holiday event, the annual Red Andrews Christmas Dinner has provided warm meals and toys for thousands of Oklahoma City residents on Christmas Day since the 1940s.Since the announcement this past weekend that the popular event would be discontinued, family members and community leaders worked to create a newly incorporated organization, the Red Andrews\u2019 Christmas Dinner Foundation, that will become a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization aimed to secure a long-term future for the beloved annual event, which serves over 6,000 citizens.Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and City Manager Jim Couch were thrilled to hear news of community organizers united in their aspirations to keep the organization sustainable for years to come.\u201CBecause of its mission and impact, the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner has long been one of Oklahoma City\u2019s great holiday traditions,\u201D said Mayor Cornett. \u201CWe\u2019re thankful to those in our community who stepped up to ensure that it continues to serve those in need during the holiday season.\u201DAttorney Robert Goldman of Goldman Law Office will be the new Chairman of the Board. Additional board members will be nephew of the late Red Andrews, Larry Cassil, attorney and John Yoeckel, Managing Member- KPL Production Company, LLC and member of the Oklahoma City Planning Commission. Betty McCord, niece of Oklahoma native Red Andrews who took over the dinners in 1977, has agreed to serve as Honorary Chairman of the Board. Mary Blankenship Pointer, Senior Vice President \u2013 UMB Oklahoma Bank, has agreed to house financial contributions at the banking institution. Board members will begin working towards certifying the organization as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and streamlining processes to ensure the organization continues in perpetuity.\u201CThis annual holiday tradition has been a long-lasting and important function for the community for over 60 years,\u201D said Pointer. \u201CUMB Oklahoma Bank is thrilled and very honored to be a part of keeping the legacy of the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner alive and to help continue impacting the lives of Oklahomans in need during the holidays this year and for many years to come.\u201DAnnually housed at the Cox Convention Center, the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner serves thousands of meals to hungry Oklahomans, as well as provides new toys and clothing for children of all ages. Approximately 1,000 citizen volunteers gathered to serve more than 6,000 Oklahomans last Christmas Day.\u201CIt has been incredible to witness Oklahomans working together in the spirit of serving our neighbors. We are all united in that we recognize what a highly-valued and impactful event this has been on the community for many decades,\u201D said Goldman. \u201CI am honored to be a part of this organization and to chair the new board, which has already begun working feverishly as new custodians for the organization, preparing it for long-term sustainability to continue to give back to this community.\u201DFor financial and toy donations, contact Mary Blankenship Pointer at (405) 239-5936 or mary.pointer@umb.com. Donations may be dropped off at one of four UMB Oklahoma Bank locations: Stockyards, Downtown, 63rd &amp; Broadway Extension or Penn Square Mall, next to Cheesecake Factory. For more information on the Red Andrews\u2019 Christmas Dinner Foundation, please contact Teresa Rose at (405) 935-8547 or at teresa.rose@chk.com and for more information about the event, contact John Yoeckel at (405) 473-3967."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.koco.com/article/new-organization-created-to-keep-red-andrews-dinner-going/4291301>