AUBURN - Holiday cheer hit almost as hard as a high school football player at the Boyle Senior Center's annual Christmas party Sunday.

“It's always good helping other people this time of year,” said Adam Hurd, a junior left guard and defensive tackle for the Maroons.

Hurd joined about 10 teammates in donning dress shirts and ties and volunteering to serve a turkey dinner to the center's residents. They weaved through the red- and green-clothed tables - with glittery snowflakes dangling from the air and glazing the windows - to deliver about 75 Boyle residents a Thanksgiving-style dinner of turkey, squash and stuffing followed by white cake and coffee. Lingering residents could occupy themselves with Christmas word searches and holiday song trivia, as well as the company of friends in the celebratory atmosphere.

Weaving through the diners faster than any high school server was program director Maggie Wells, who oversaw preparations for the event.

“Some of the residents have lost loved ones, and I think during the holidays, the activity is important,” Wells said. “It gets their mind off that. It's fun and important when they're missing someone.”

Wells' responsibilities included delivery of the dinners from Springside Inn and collaboration with Boyle residents on party decorations and fundraising. The residents - about 20 of whom decorated the dining hall at 8 a.m. Sunday morning - held a craft fair, bake and yard sales throughout the year to bankroll the party. St. Alphonsus Food Pantry received $450 of their profits.

“If it's free, everyone turns out,” said Lorraine Seymour, an eight-year resident of the Boyle Senior Center.

As residents finished up their food, the stereo soundtrack of low-key Christmas music was replaced by a live performance by the four-piece Moondance, which started attracting Boyle revelers to the dance floor with a rendition of “Jingle Bells.”

“He sings beautifully,” said resident Sophie Forward, who has lived at the center for three years. “I can't sit still.”

The band was soon joined by Santa Claus himself, who was led to the dance floor by a sleigh consisting of tightly trotting football players wearing reindeer ears. They would be joined later by male friends of Wells, who felt they'd fill a demand on the dance floor for the female-heavy mix of Boyle residents.

“Maggie puts a whole lot of effort into everything,” Seymour said. “If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have this.”