For the 42nd year in a row Bill Fekas, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, prepared a free community-wide Christmas dinner.

A damp Christmas day set the scene as people lined up and patiently waited to file through the Saline County 4H building to receive  Christmas dinner, with an extra helping of Christmas cheer. Again this year, it was a Christmas dinner to go.

A crowd  lined up early, and was already gathered when the doors opened. Fekas was all smiles, greeting people as they came in, and as they left handing out Red Baron frozen pizzas to take home compliments of Schwan’s.

For those who couldn’t make it to the meal, volunteers stayed busy making home deliveries.

Fekas had a plan to keep dinner attendees safe and healthy, while also giving them a great holiday meal. Only a  limited number of people were allowed to enter at a time. They picked up their Christmas meal, which included turkey and all the trimming, to then take home and enjoy.

Along with the Christmas dinner, Fekas had some other goodies to send home, including frozen pizza. He told KSAL News at the event he was appreciative of everyone who helped in the endeavor, including the Schwan’s Company which provided over 200 pallets of frozen pizza to be given away.

Fekas has been preparing a free community-wide Christmas dinner since the early 1980s. He had a dream in 1982 to prepare and serve a free dinner for anyone who was alone on Christmas Day. Late Salina businessman Dean Evans told him to get the ball rolling and he would pay the bill. That first year there were about 30 people at the event.

Over the years the dinner, which is still free to anyone who wants to attend, and has grown exponentially. Fekas, with the help of his small army of volunteers, this year prepared enough food to feed 5,000 people. Among other things they prepared over 200 turkeys, a half-ton of potatoes, and stuffing made from over 800 loaves of bread.

The goal of the meal is very simple, to put a smile on the face of everyone who attends.

While the dinner is free for all who attend, it isn’t free for Fekas. Each year he depends on donations to help make it possible, and struggles to come close to breaking even.

Those who want to send a check can mail it to:

Bill Fekas Family Christmas Dinner

PO Box 2173

Salina, Kansas 67401