A House Full of Home: Center Union Community Gathers for Annual Christmas Celebration

The doors of the Center Union Community Center were wide open, and the building was filled wall to wall with laughter, conversation, and familiar faces as the Center Union community gathered for its annual Christmas party—a tradition that continues to anchor generations to one another and to place.

Longtime members greeted one another like family, because for many, that is exactly what they are. Island countertop overflowed with delicious dishes, desserts, and shared favorites, ensuring there was more than enough food for everyone who came through the door.

Door prizes and raffle tickets added excitement to the evening, with guests lingering, laughing, and waiting to hear whose name would be called next.

What stood out most was not just the celebration, but the presence—elders, cousins, newcomers, and longtime supporters all under one roof. Even those who had attended Center Union events for years remarked that they had never seen the building so full. Faces once known only in passing were finally met face to face, and strangers became kin over shared plates and stories.

Behind the scenes, the work of maintaining the space and keeping the doors open does not go unnoticed. Community members spoke openly about the labor—visible and invisible—that sustains the building year-round, from maintenance and groundskeeping to organizing events that keep Center Union active beyond the holidays. The center is not simply a venue; it is a living place shaped by the people who show up for it.

Conversations throughout the night reflected both pride and concern. Pride in Center Union’s deep history and its role as a gathering place for Black families rooted in the area. Concern that too few outside the immediate community truly know its significance. Yet the turnout that evening offered quiet proof of what is possible when tradition, word-of-mouth, and commitment align.

For many, the Christmas party is more than a seasonal gathering—it is a reminder. A reminder that Center Union is still here. Still gathering. Still feeding bodies and spirits. Still holding memory and making room for new ones.

As the night wound down and guests slowly began to head home, there was a shared sense that something meaningful had taken place—not just a party, but a reaffirmation of community. In a space built to endure, Center Union once again did what it has always done best: brought people together and made them feel at home.