This year is number 12 for Michael and Vickie Hillicoss.

That's more than a decade of organizing, cooking, serving and greeting guests who come to the free Thanksgiving dinner at the Lake City Senior Center in Coeur d'Alene.

Each year, the Newman Lake couple take charge for the benefit of "everyone and anyone" who wants to come for food, fellowship and family on a day when it hurts even more to be alone, to be without.

"It's about a sense of community," Michael said. "It's the act of sitting with family and friends."

Each year, they serve hundreds, young and old, singles and families. And each year, they are swamped with calls and requests from folks who want to volunteer.

"When they experience this, they want to come back," he said. "The actual day itself is rewarding. You know you're doing a good thing."

Last year, the event cost a little over $2,000, and they raised enough to cover that. This year, they're hoping to raise $3,000, but donations are a little slower than hoped.

"I have put out a lot of requests," Michael said. "Normally, the response is almost immediate."

In October, they usually raise about three-fourths of what's needed to pay for the Thanksgiving meal. There will be plenty of turkeys and pies donated, they said, but cash is what would help the most right now.

"This year, the donations haven't been there. They're not coming in," he said. "We know times are tough, people are out of work."

Vickie said the dinner has been part of their lives since they started it after moving to this area, and later learning there was no free community Thanksgiving dinner. Now, they can't imagine the holidays without it.

"It's not even like it's a choice. It's just what we do," she said.

Michael agreed. It's part of their family, which includes three children.

"When we think about it, our kids don't have any memories of us not doing this stuff," he said.

It is also demanding.

The planning, the preparation, arranging music, the decorations, demands time and effort. Michael and Vickie are the first to arrive, the last to leave. They want to create a warm, loving atmosphere.

"It is a lot of work," Vickie said. "But we love doing this."

It is expensive, too.

While the majority of the turkeys, hams and pies are donated by individuals, to feed more than 500 servings of food in two hours requires commercial quality and quantities to fill in the rest of the meal. Last year, for instance, they served 32 gallons of green bean casserole.

"Add in the yams, taters, stuffing gravy, olives, pickles, it adds up quick," Michael said.

The hardest part for them? It's not the cooking and cleaning. It's that they have to turn away hundreds who call offering to help.

"I already have 50 people signed up without even making a phone call," Michael said.

Over and over they have to say, "Sorry, we're full."

"It's heartbreaking," Vickie said.

It's no wonder so many want to be involved.

Come Thanksgiving, the day their guests arrive and take their seats, it is a wonderful feeling, both Michael and Vickie said. They are thrilled when they're able to bring a bit of happiness, of good will, to others on that day.

"It's very contagious," Michael said. "I just can't imagine not feeling that."

Once their turkey day tradition of serving others is complete, Michael and Vickie head for home to finally enjoy their Thanksgiving meal - sometimes the leftovers from the free community dinner they just served.

"We used to have a big meal at the house. Now that the kids are older, we just sit down at the end of the day," Vickie said.

They deflect any praise for their efforts, and instead point to their church, Center for Spiritual Living North Idaho, or the Lake City Senior Center, for making it happen.

"We'd much rather have them receive the credit than us," Michael said.

Anyone who wants to donate can send checks or drop by cash at the Lake City Senior Center, 1916 Lakewood Drive. Just note the check is for the turkey dinner.

Information: (509) 226-3208