Keareny Concerned Citizens

By KIM SCHMIDT
Hub Staff Writers

KEARNEY - Organizers of the annual Thanksgiving dinner in Kearney wish they didn't have anyone to feed.

"We'd love to see it someday where we didn't serve anybody," said Gailen Kotrous, one of the organizers of Kearney Area Concerned Citizens. "That means everybody has got family, everyone is going to be with someone and no one would be alone for the holiday."

For 19 years, volunteers from KACC have devoted weeks to planning a Thanksgiving meal that feeds hundreds who otherwise would be alone that day. For its efforts, KACC earned the Freedom Award in the Service Organizations Category.

Whether it's decorating tables, peeling potatoes or delivering meals to shut-ins, the volunteers - 300 in all - pull off the event each year. Since its inception, thousands of people have been served at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 1900 Central Ave.

Since 1985, Gailen and Becky Kotrous and Don and Karen Schutte, all of Kearney, along with a few others, have been organizing the event. During that first dinner, 135 people attended and volunteers cooked eight turkeys.

Last year, volunteers cooked 40 turkeys.

"Kearney should feel good about and honor activities such as this that are grass roots to improve our community," said Kathy Livingston, who nominated KACC for the award.

Modestly, Karen Schutte said volunteering comes naturally.

"It's just something I enjoy doing," she said.

In addition to serving people at the Knights of Columbus Hall, last year KACC delivered 400 meals to shut-ins, including inmates at the Buffalo County Detention Center.

For the last five years, Dan and Jean Lubich, of Marshall, Mo., have returned to Kearney at Thanksgiving time to help KACC put on the dinner. The Lubiches moved to Marshall from Kearney in 1999 but have been involved with the dinner since 1987.

"It's something we enjoy doing," Jean Lubich said. "The humbleness you feel, knowing what's involved with it and not expecting anything in return. It's that humbleness of knowing that you're doing something positive within the community and knowing that you don't have to hear a 'thank you' to get that gratification."

Throughout the years the dinner has had many highlights. One year former state Sen. Bill Barrett showed up unannounced to help serve food and deliver meals. The last few years, the University of Nebraska at Kearney women's basketball team helped put on the dinner.

As long as they are able, the Lubiches will continue to help with the dinner.

"Once you get it in your blood, it's just hard to drain yourself out of it," she said.

e-mail to:
kim.schmidt@kearneyhub.com