Nearly one hundred area residents enjoyed an outstanding Christmas Eve dinner held at the Becker American Legion due to some incredible team work from numerous volunteers.

And just like an intricate recipe, the tale of how the meal took shape included a dash of help from a variety of people, as well as some serious dedication to ensure the final product.

It all started with an enormous turkey weighing in at 41 pounds which was donated by a California acquaintance of State Representative Shane Mekeland. As the two were discussing her family’s organically grown fowl this past fall, Mekeland was a bit incredulous about the mammoth size of the birds.  She eventually sent Mekeland a video of her cleaning one of the birds and as a surprise, she then express-shipped it to Minnesota.

From there, Palmer House owners Paul Braun and Barbara Keenan provided the freezer space to store the mammoth creature.

As he surveyed the situation, Mekeland knew that the bird had a higher purpose, so plans started to take shape to provide an opportunity for area residents looking for a Christmas Eve meal. 

“At the end of the day, it’s all about community and making sure everyone had a place to go,” Mekeland said.  “We wanted to create an environment where people could gather and enjoy a meal, as well as conversation with other community members during the Christmas season.” 

Again, the Palmer House owners stepped up and provided the location for Mekeland and his cousin Jason to smoke the turkey, while Braun and Keenan also cooked the rest of the fantastic meal, including mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and green bean casserole.

Bill’s Family Foods of Becker donated much of the food, including three “normal” sized birds which were expertly deep fried by Legion member Mark Swanson.  Swanson’s wife Helen, along with Palmer area residents Russ and Linda Pekarek, worked the serving line and the result was a fantastic Christmas Eve celebration.

“I could not be more proud to live in a community where people constantly step up to help others,” Mekeland concluded.