Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota will have its sixth annual community Thanksgiving dinner Thursday.

Owner Casey Johnson and his family conceived the idea six years ago.

“As a family, Deb and I, and our two sons, Matt and Nick, were sitting around on Thanksgiving, just enjoying ourselves, and we said, we need to do something different this year on Thanksgiving,” he said. “We said, let’s have a Thanksgiving meal in the showroom, complimentary, to anyone in need or who is alone and just wants to be with someone.”

The first year, Johnson said, the meal was attended by more than 300 people.

“Each year it has grown,” he said. “Last year, we served 1,100 people. It was overwhelming. There were a lot of happy faces in the showroom.”

Johnson described the meal as a big undertaking, made possible only by many volunteers and community partners.

“We had over a hundred volunteers show up. And they were customers, family, employees, just anyone who came in,” he said. “What’s amazing is, we don’t solicit any volunteers. People just come to us and say, ‘We want to help.’ That’s pretty gratifying.”

The event is more than food; it is a holiday experience.

“One thing my wife was adamant about on this meal was that she wanted it extra special and every detail covered,” Johnson said. “That means we have actual plates and silverware, white tablecloths. We have flowers. We’re not going through with Styrofoam plates.”

Fort Dodge Ford also delivers meals to anyone within the Fort Dodge city limits.

“If somebody doesn’t have a vehicle or can’t get out, and would like a meal delivered, they just call in and we put them on the list,” Matt Johnson, general manager said.

Casey Johnson described last year’s delivery effort as organized chaos.

“Can you imagine delivering 500 hot meals in the city of Fort Dodge within an hour’s time? That’s what we did last year,” he said. “We have 10 groups of drivers that are going every direction in the city.”

Last year, 65 turkeys were served, along with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and vegetables, with pies donated from community businesses.

Johnson fondly recalled one moment from their annual Thanksgiving meals.

“A couple of years ago we had (Iowa Department of Human Services) bring some children in that were away from their parents, and their parents came here for the meal, and it was an unbelievable reunion, where they had a Thanksgiving meal together,” he said. “It’s a lot of emotion and passion, and it’s just a fabulous day.”

Thanksgiving meals will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To have a meal delivered, contact Fort Dodge Fort Lincoln Toyota at 576-7505.