Tell us about the dinner this year.

"It was great! It gets better every year.

"We hold the buffet at St. Lucy's church because they have a large eating area and a big kitchen for us to prepare the meal. 

"We decorate the church with Christmas trees and lights. There's Christmas music and a strolling violinist. We serve a big turkey buffet with all the trimmings so people can take as much as they want."

How many turkeys?

"75. The day before, we cook the turkeys so they're about 90% done, then come in at 5:00 A.M. on Christmas morning and finish cooking them. I spend most of my day carving."

Does that leave you time to mingle
with the people who come?

"Best part of the day is sitting down with folks with a cup of coffee and piece of pie."

Tell us about the people you've met.

"Others come because they're alone, recently widowed or simply too far to be with their families.

"Some families have made this dinner their tradition and come every year.

"Last year, a brother, sister and his wife came to our dinner. All three had cancer and were terribly ill. Every year they eat Christmas dinner together, but all were too weak to prepare dinner. I understand the sister died about three weeks later. For me, it was an honor to offer them one last Christmas dinner together."

Is that why you feed Christmas dinner
to so many people every year?

"Yes, but to me, it's more than feeding them food. It's feeding their spirit.  That's why everybody gets a doggy bag when they leave."

Come again?

"Late in the evening, instead of scrounging in the cupboard, they can enjoy another slice of turkey and the spirit of Christmas carries them through the entire day."

I understand you're in trucking.

"Been in trucking all my life. My dad and uncle started a

long-haul transport company - which is still in the family today. I joined them for a while, driving coast to coast.

"Over the past 20 years, I've been a truck dealer, owned a truck parts and service company and a heavy-duty towing business - my sons own that now. I was even one of the top five bobtail race drivers in the country. Recently, I started a company to improve cab safety in rollover accidents."

Is that why you invited truckers this year?

"I know what it's like on the road. I've spent a lot of Christmas holidays away from my family.

"The idea to specifically invite truckers came about when I went to a truck event and met Dr. Sheryl Youngblood, who hosts the Knighttime Radio Show. She invited me on her show where I talked about the annual Christmas dinner. That's when we extended the invitation to all her listeners."

How many truckers attended?

"About forty. That includes some trucker-friends who volunteer. They help fix the dinner and call people I know are shut-ins to make sure they have a ride."

Speaking of rides, how did the truckers get to your Christmas dinner?

"Sheryl rode in a donated bus to a nearby truckstop. The truckers appreciated the dinner so much, they went out of their way to look for other drivers who were sitting alone in their cabs."

Weren't they inside the truckstop eating?

"Some drivers don't make enough money to eat three square meals at a truckstop restaurant. Sheryl told me about one family from New Mexico who bobtailed to the church. He's been driving for six months, so after fueling up, there was no money left over for a nice Christmas dinner. He and his wife and son spent about an hour with us, and Santa made sure his little boy received his present."

Santa comes to your dinner, too?

"It's not Christmas without kids unwrapping toys from Santa! It's all about the Christmas spirit."

Why do you do it?    

"People have asked me that question for years and I still don't have an answer. It just happened. And I'm so thankful it did because I get so much out of it. It's my Christmas gift to myself."

And next year?

"I'm already looking forward to it!"

Editor's note: Have you always wanted to do something like this in your community? Bob Bolus wants this to be a nationwide event. If you need some advice, call his office at 570-346-7659 or e-mail him at bollussalvage@yahoo.com.