Rodney Jenness, of Lebanon, N.H., passes a plate of turkey to another at his table during the annual Lebanon Christmas Day Dinner in Lebanon, N.H., on Dec. 25, 2018. Listen Community Services, which serves six community meals a week at their White River Junction dining facility, began running the annual Christmas meal this year. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Rodney Jenness, of Lebanon, N.H., passes a plate of turkey to another at his table during the annual Lebanon Christmas Day Dinner in Lebanon, N.H., on Dec. 25, 2018. Listen Community Services, which serves six community meals a week at their White River Junction dining facility, began running the annual Christmas meal this year. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Credit: Valley News — Geoff Hansen

Lebanon — For more than 30 years, those looking for a free, hot holiday meal have found it at the Lebanon Christmas Day Dinner at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Some of the hundreds who attend the feast may not have relatives close by to celebrate the holiday — yet they feel part of a family during the dinner.

“This is my family today,” said White River Junction resident Ray McRorie, one of an estimated 650 diners who either visited Sacred Heart for the 12:30 p.m. mass serving on Tuesday or had a meal delivered to their home by a volunteer. “This is wonderful and it’s all about the community. Christmas is a special holiday and it’s very special here.”

All of about 220 seats in the lower level of the church were filled at mealtime, and nearly as many volunteers catered to the diners. The event was hosted for the first time by Listen Community Services, whose community dinners program last year served more than 31,000 meals at dining halls in White River Junction and Canaan, according to Listen food programs manager Ray Pecor.

At last year’s Christmas dinner, Listen personnel shadowed a previous volunteer group led by Lebanon couple Al and Dana Michalovic, according to Kyle Fisher, Listen Community Services’ executive director.

“They had asked if we’d take over, and we thought it would be a great fit for us,” Fisher said ahead of the first servings on Tuesday. “We’re used to preparing food for people, but this is a big one.”

The cooking began on Christmas Eve, when volunteers prepared cookies, stuffing and 30 turkeys at their homes, committing to a deadline of 8 a.m. Tuesday to have everything dropped off at Sacred Heart. At 5 a.m., a kitchen team led by Pecor and first-year head chef Doug Tucker had already been preparing many of the additional side items: mashed potatoes, squash, beets, green bean casserole and more.

And the volunteer effort extends outside the doors of the church.

Chrissy and Jeff Richardson, of West Lebanon, were part of the morning delivery team with their daughter, Haley, who helped serve plates during the dinner.

“It helps the community and heals my heart,” Chrissy Richardson said. “A lot of the people we dropped off meals for, they don’t have a way to get out of the house. We might be the only people they see today.”

But many diners came to the church for the company on Christmas Day. Sandy James, of Newbury, Vt., got a ride to the event with Piermont resident Phil Allan. Allan said he’s been coming to the dinner for at least 14 years, continuing the tradition after the death of his wife, Sylvia.

James, meanwhile, said she is divorced and lost her son to suicide in 2015.

“When I come here, I meet new people and make friends,” she said. “I’m here to socialize even more than the food.”

Seated across the table from James, Gary Barrett echoed the sentiment.

“I have no children, and the family I do have is in Connecticut,” he said. “I’m here for the camaraderie and the atmosphere.”

Even some who might not otherwise be engaged in Christmastime activities were drawn to the dinner. Norwich resident Harjit Rakhra, who practices the Sikh faith, attended while his wife and son stayed at home. “By being here, I’m celebrating (Christmas),” he said. “My wife would be, too, but she doesn’t come out on cold days.”

Back in the kitchen, prep cook John Bristol, of West Hartford, volunteered for the eighth straight year. His experience with the event — and familiarity with some of the quirks of the dining hall — can come in handy when there are newer volunteers on hand.

“It takes a lot to make this many meals happen,” said Bristol, who also annually volunteers at a Thanksgiving community dinner at Sacred Heart. “It’s an old building, and with all of the (electric) juice we use in the kitchen, we usually blow a circuit or two. I’ve come to learn where all the trip boxes are.”

Bristol said he enjoys reacquainting with longtime volunteers each year at the dinners.

“You get used to the way people do things, and it’s always nice to catch up,” he said.

There were 218 volunteer spots, Fisher said, but many of those who signed up brought along family members who also helped out.

That included Bill Young, an obstetrician from Hanover who was accompanied by his wife, Sarah; daughter, Lindsay; and other family members.

Young also looks forward to catching up with familiar faces or, occasionally, reconnecting with someone from the hospital.

“I had someone say to me today, ‘I know you, you delivered my first three children,’ ” Young recalled. “You don’t get that kind of thing everywhere.”

Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or 603-727-3216.