The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance annual Thanksgiving Day Feast is scheduled to begin at noon Nov. 27 at Rose Garden Banquet Hall, 2350 E. Eighth.

Pam Burgardt and the Rose Garden Steak Haus staff have, for the last seven years, provided the meal for the day. Since 2007, a partnership of cooperating Ellis County churches and other community volunteers helped feed those who did not have a place to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. Last year, more than 600 turkey and fixins dinners were served.

Other organizations who have in the past committed to help helped pay for the meal are Eagle Communications, the Hays Daily News, the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce, the Hays Lions Club, First Call for Help, Hays Medical Center and the United Way of Ellis County. Ellis County Abstract and Great Plains Dermatology also support the event by helping to make the ACCESS van available to pick up people who need rides. Many other service clubs, churches and individuals also help to maintain the event.

Volunteers will be collecting food from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at both Dillons locations and Walmart. The food collected will be sacked the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving and distributed Thanksgiving Day after lunch.night at 5:30 p.m. at the banquet hall and passed out on Thanksgiving day after lunch. Last year, 367 bags of food for people in need were distributed.

If you would like to contribute to this event, make your tax-deductible donations payable to ECMA, P.O. Box 173, Hays, KS 67601. Memo your checks “Thanksgiving Dinner.” Any extra proceeds will go into ECMA’s Second Mile Fund, which assists Ellis County residents in need.

More than 150 volunteers are needed for the feast. If you would like to volunteer, call First Call for Help at (785) 623-2800