12/26/2011
By GARY DEMUTH Salina Journal
After a stressful Christmas season, Michael Nesbitt was grateful to be able to sit down with his family and enjoy a relaxing Christmas dinner.

Nesbitt, who recently moved to Salina from Abilene with his wife and two children, said it hasn't been an easy Christmas season.

"We just moved here, and it's been a struggle for us," he said. "My vehicle broke down, so we don't have that now."

Then a kind neighbor lady told the Nesbitt family about the annual Bill Fekas and Family Christmas Dinner and invited them to ride with her to the 4-H Building at Kenwood Park.

Nesbitt was wowed when he stepped through the front doors of the 4-H Building. Before him were several dozen tables and more than 100 volunteers cooking, serving and delivering Christmas dinners of turkey and dressing.

Eating with his family and neighbor, Nesbitt said he finally was in the Christmas spirit.

"I'm so grateful that people come out on Christmas morning to help others in need," he said.

It's an endorsement that Fekas has heard throughout the 29 years he has been spearheading the dinner. Despite the hard work involved in preparing the massive meal each year, Fekas said he wouldn't want to be anywhere else Christmas morning.

"This really is the best day of my life," said Fekas, who organized the event while a chef at Salina Country Club. "People come here to eat, listen to music and have a good time."

The event continues to grow each year. Last year, about 4,600 people were served. This year, Fekas said he and his volunteer staff were prepared to serve 5,000 people.

"It's a beautiful day today, so I hope we have lots of people show up," he said.

By the time the doors opened at 11 a.m., more than 100 volunteers had shown up to work various jobs that included serving plates of food and filling drink orders, dishing out servings in the kitchen, greeting visitors at the door or delivering meals to about 1,500 area residents.

"There's so many (volunteers) that's told me this day is the most wonderful day for them," Fekas said. "They get up, open presents and there's nothing else to do. So they love to come here to help."

That's true for Salinan Noel Stephenson, who is delivering meals for the second year in a row.

"We have Christmas on Christmas Eve, so there's nothing going on Christmas Day," he said. "Doing this keeps me out of trouble when I start the new year."

Salinan Charlie Lang said he's been volunteering for 10 years as a server and "potato peeler."

"Yesterday, we had about 1,000 pounds of potatoes peeled by 10 a.m.," he said. "It's unreal to see all the volunteers that come here. It makes you feel good to help people out."

This year's meal was comprised of turkey, dressing, potatoes and gravy, green beans, cottage cheese and peaches, bread and ice cream. Fekas said it takes the better part of a week to prepare all the food in time for Christmas Day.

The event, which cost more than $16,000 to produce last year, operates through funds from annual donor contributions, he said.

Cathy Kelsey, of Assaria, has been volunteering for 10 years, doing everything from answering phones to dishing out food in the kitchen, which she did this year with about 25 other volunteers.

"This IS Christmas to me," she said. "It's a blast."

Salinan Steve Ade, plopping scoops of dressing onto an endless assembly line of plates in the kitchen, agreed with Kelsey.

"What else can you do on Christmas Day to help this many people?" he said. "My whole family does this -- my wife, my kids, my brother and his wife and kids -- we wouldn't want to do anything else."

Tables also were set up on either side of the front doors at the 4-H Building to distribute free loaves of bread and toys that included stuffed animals, toy cars and action figures.

"These are all donated toys to give to whoever wants to get a toy," said volunteer Grace Prater, of Gypsum. "People are surprised they can come here and get a toy. They're overwhelmed sometimes -- they don't know what to pick."

As volunteers scrambled to ready the facility for the first wave of visitors at 11 a.m., a group of eight area musicians began performing country-flavored music on the north stage.

By the time the doors were opened, a couple of hundred people were lined up. Fekas said he expected a few thousand more before the meal wrapped up at 2 p.m.

This was the second year in a row that Salinan Glorianne Johannes attended the meal with her husband Gene.

"Since we don't have family close, we decided to come here," she said. "The food is good. It's always good."

Johannes said the success of the event should be credited to Fekas and his dedicated volunteers, all of whom are willing to give up their Christmas morning to serve others.

"That man and his helpers do a lot of hard work, and they do it every year," she said. "It's wonderful."

Salinan Janie Morris, who has attended for five years, said it was important to remember the dinner was for everyone who walked in, no matter what their financial situation or station in life.

"You have doctors, lawyers and common folk here, sitting next to people they don't know," she said.

Morris, who works for Salina's Emergency Aid Food Bank, said it's a vital annual service to those in economic need.

"If some of those people weren't coming here, they wouldn't have a Christmas dinner at all," she said. "This is a treat for a lot of people."

-- Reporter Gary Demuth can be reached at 822-1405 or by email at gdemuth@salina.com.

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