MEL TOADVINE Preparing for the dinner are Rotarians, from left, Chuck Hodde, Dick Groetchen, Jack Vealey and Inke Baker. They are shown with several large pans of cut-up turkey.

A record breaking crowd of 650 people attended the free Thanksgiving dinner put on by the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres. Both co-chairman Mike Buff and Jack Vealey said they were surprised, but they were ready and everyone who came was able to sit down and enjoy turkey and all the trimmings.

“We thought we would have more than 500, probably close to 550, to come this year to our free dinner for all, but we wanted to be ready so we cooked enough food for everyone who came through the doors of the Parish Hall at St. Raphael’s Church.

“That included 30 big turkeys that we started cooking at 4:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Eve,” said Vealey. “Then we had the second crew of Rotarians come in later along with helpers such as a Girl Scout Troop from Lehigh who helped with the center pieces on the tables. The adults cut up the turkey and started making other dishes including everything from mashed potatoes to cranberry.”

The free Thanksgiving dinner began more than eight years ago with Rotarians taking over from a previous group in Lehigh.

“We wanted everyone to know through our stories in The Lehigh Acres Citizen that this dinner is free and always will be. It is for those who had no place to go for the holiday, for people who perhaps couldn’t afford to buy the turkey and other trimmings because of hard times, and for anyone who wanted a dinner,” Vealey said.

“If anyone wanted to give a donation, they were able to put something in our Wishing Well, off to the side. But like we said, people did not have to pay,” Buff said.

“Doors opened at 11 a.m. and we stopped serving at 2 p.m. so we could start washing up all the pots and pans, thanks to the many volunteers who came out to help,”?he said. “Without them, we could not have put such a big dinner on.”

Of the 28 Rotary members, most participated. In addition to about 60 volunteers, there was a group of students from the Rotary’s Interact Club at East Lee County High School. They helped people when they left the serving line to find seats, brought them beverages and later brought desserts to the hundreds who filled the Parish Hall.

Buff said the Rotary Club and all the volunteers who helped wanted St. Raphael’s Church to know how much they appreciated the gift of the hall for the big dinner.

One thing Buff said he had a concern about this year was that an elderly man, who each year for the last several years has helped guide people to the serving line, was not there. Buff couldn’t remember his name, but said he hoped that nothing had happened to him.

“He was a great volunteer and he was missed this year,” Buff said.

The serving line was set up with at least nine volunteers serving up the turkey and all the trimmings.

“Everyone was happy and socializing. It was just a good thing to see,” Buff said.

The Rotary Club is about to do it again for their annual Christmas Dinner. Everyone is invited and the dinner of turkey, ham and all the trimmings are again free.

There is a Wishing Well in the lobby, Buff said, but it is only there because years ago, some of the people said they wanted to contribute, so we made that possible, but the dinner was really free to anyone who came through the doors.

Doors opened at about the same time that Mass ended at St. Raphael’s Church and many members walked over for the dinner.

“Like we were saying, Christmas dinner is next and we are going to plan for more than last year. We see that there is still a need for people to have a nice dinner on Christmas. We don’t want people to be alone and we don’t want people to do without a Christmas dinner because they are having tough times. We believe strongly in one of our mottoes from Rotary and that is to put people above self,”?Buff said. “I am very happy that we can do this, and we plan to do it for as long as we can.”

Come Christmas Day, Buff said volunteers should come in the morning so all plans can be made. Most of the volunteers from Thanksgiving will be back again.

“They are people who want to give of themselves to help others, and that is what it is all about,” Buff said.