Alamosa Christmas dinner for Pat

Free Community Christmas Dinner Chairperson Debi Parr Yund and long-time committee member Rick Esquibel, right, present a plaque to the family of Patricia Lucero, left, to honor her memory and dedicated service with the Christmas dinner, the last several years as committee chairperson. She died in a car crash a few days after last year’s Christmas dinner. All three of her daughters — Anna, Catherine and Donia — attended this year’s dinner with their families. And as Pat Lucero had done for many years — they volunteered.

Free Community Christmas Dinner Committee Member Rick Esquibel introduces the rest of the committee during the annual dinner in Alamosa on Monday. From left are Debi Parr Yund, Esquibel, Erica Porrello and Sandy Lopez. Not pictured is Sandra Hostetter.

Jessie Salazar, left, volunteers with delicious dinner rolls to offer Melissa during Monday’s festive Christmas Dinner in Alamosa.

Community members gathered in the festively decorated Columbus Home Association Event Center (Knights of Columbus) in Alamosa for the annual Free Community Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day. A steady stream of guests filled the hall throughout the day.

Jerry Dandridge gives Donna Ditmore a Christmas Day hug at the annual Christmas Dinner in Alamosa on Monday. Donna began volunteering with the dinner about 25 years ago and until recently was in charge of delivering meals to homebound residents.

Rosalinda and David enjoy a visit at Santa’s knee at the Christmas Dinner in Alamosa on Monday. Santa and his toy shop was a popular stop for the youngsters.

Eliseo tells Santa what he received on Christmas morning before receiving another special gift during the Christmas Dinner in Alamosa.

Free Community Christmas Dinner Committee Member Rick Esquibel, left, thanks American Legion Commander for Dickey Springer Post 113 Aaron Holcomb, right, for the American Legion’s long-time support of the dinner. Until this year the Legion hall hosted the event, and the committee specifically recognized the Legion on Monday for its support.

The kitchen crew plates up the turkey dinner for the Free Community Christmas Dinner in Alamosa on Monday. Many of the volunteers have served at the dinner for years. They enjoyed a little bit more elbow room at the dinner’s new venue at the Columbus Home Association Event Center.

Cheri fills coffee cups for guests at the annual Christmas dinner in Alamosa on Monday.

Tim cuts and plates pumpkin pie for the Christmas dinner in Alamosa. Desserts topped off the turkey dinner with fixings.

A young volunteer, Tony keeps guests supplied with cranberries during Monday’s Christmas dinner.