Volunteers are gearing up for another Bill Fekas Family Christmas Dinner.

Bill Fekas had a dream back in the early 1980s – to prepare and serve a free dinner for anyone who was alone on Christmas Day.

Fekas told KSAL News that Salina businessman Dean Evans told him to get the ball rolling and he would pay the bill, “Dean said go ahead and then I said, now what did I get into?”

Fekas, with the help of a small army of volunteers, has been preparing a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for over 30 years for a gathering that has grown from serving about 30 people the first year to over 4,400 last year.

Among other things they are preparing over 200 turkeys, a half-ton of mashed potatoes, and stuffing made from over 800 loaves of bread.

Fekas points to his helpers as the key to getting things ready to eat on Christmas Day, and applauds those who help buy the groceries. “We really need some donations to pay the bills,” he said.

Those who want to send a check can mail it to : Bill Fekas Family Christmas Dinner, PO Box 2173 Salina Kansas 67401.

The Bill Fekas Family Christmas Dinner is at the 4-H Building in Salina on Christmas Day.