If you haven’t made plans yet for where you’re going to have Christmas Dinner, Mike Buff and the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres, have just the place to be.

Just like on Thanksgiving, the Rotary Club and several volunteers in the community are preparing a Christmas Day dinner with all the trimmings and everyone is invited – everyone in the community, Buff said.

“We had a great turnout for the free Thanksgiving Dinner … more than 500 people showed up, more than last year, and we’re hoping for a large crowd on Christmas Day, too,” Buff said.

“Everyone, everyone in Lehigh is invited. People who live alone, those with families and friends, anyone and everyone, it’s an open invitation to come and enjoy the holiday dinner with us,” Buff said.

The meal starts at 11 a.m. and continues to 2 p.m. and it is located at the same place as the Thanksgiving Dinner – in the Parish Hall of St. Raphael’s Catholic Church, which is donating the use of the hall and kitchens without charge. They never charge for the free dinners and the club has been preparing dinners now on both holidays for several years.

The church grounds are on Lee Blvd., just across from Walmart and there are plenty of parking places.

Buff said most of the Rotarians are helping out in one way or another and he could use volunteers who can call him at 239-464-4253.

“We really need to have volunteers at the end of the dinner to help clean up so we can leave the Parish Hall clean as we found it,” Buff said.

In addition to 300 pounds of turkeys, there will be about 150 pounds of ham for dinner and again all the trimmings will be offered.

“The Christmas Dinner is free for all. We do have a wishing well off to the side and if anyone wants to help to pay for the dinner, they can drop something into the wishing well, but we want to emphasize that we are not charging for the dinner.

“Families are now coming to dinner here as it has become a wonderful tradition on Christmas Day. And others who live alone can get together, car pool and come to the dinner. We will have plenty for all and that mean desserts, too,” Buff said.

“In addition to a dinner – and they fill your plates with plenty of food – there is a variety of desserts that are passed out usually by the young people who have come to volunteer.

Volunteers work the serving line and Buff said more volunteers can come at different times to give those on the line a break. By calling him, he can give you a time to come and help out if you would like to be a part of the Christmas Dinner.

Laughing, Buff said again that volunteers are especially needed to help clean up.

“If we have a lot of people helping, we can get everyone out of there to their homes to celebrate the remainder of the Christmas Day,” Buff said.

“Our Rotary Club members and the volunteers who help us really get a lot out of this. A lot of the same volunteers come back for Christmas, but there are some who are out of town, so we are always looking for people to come and eat and then help us,” Buff said.

“Nobody should feel unwelcome,” he continued.

“This dinner is for everyone and we want to see hundreds turn out,” Buff said.

“We’ve never run out of food, but we serve all that we prepare,” he said. “There is always enough.”