By Michael Bushnell
Northeast News
December 28, 2011

Christmas Day doesn’t find Marvin Lyman lounging around the house much. As a matter of fact, every Christmas for the last 18 years, he’s been more of a traffic cop, directing foot traffic on the floor of his restaurant, Papa Lew’s Soul Food, making sure everyone who comes to Papa Lew’s for the annual free Christmas dinner is seated, served and satisfied before they leave.

“This is Christmas,” he said as he guided guests to an open table next to the window. “Look at all these smiles these people have on their faces. That’s the Christmas spirit.”

With that, he was off to the kitchen to make sure the food was holding out and that volunteers were on top of every detail.

First-year volunteer Dushai Thomas stood dutifully at the hostess stand, assisting Lyman on floor.

“I don’t have family in town and this is so fulfilling making sure other people have a real Christmas dinner,” she beamed.

For Chef Amber DiGiovanni, host of the “What’s Cooking” radio show on KCXL radio in Liberty, it’s all about six degrees.

“Six degrees of separation,” she said as she prepared ham and all the fixins in the kitchen. “Every homeless person is someone’s son, daughter, brother, uncle. We’re just making sure some of these sons, daughters and family members get a nice sit-down Christmas dinner.”

Before it was all said and done, roughly 800 dinners were served up by a crew of roughly 30 family members and volunteers.

Papa Lew’s Soul Food at 12th and Brooklyn was hoppin’ on Christmas Day. Owner Marvin (above) Lyman and a crew of volunteers and family made sure more than 800 people had a nice sit-down Christmas dinner – Papa Lew’s style. The event is in its 18th year and is a big hit with young and old alike. Michael Bushnell