In barely a week, First United Methodist Church will open its doors again for its annual Thanksgiving meal.

Sixty turkeys, along with all the traditional fixings, have been purchased.

About 400 people have already signed up to have a meal delivered to their home.

Everything, it seems, is in good shape, said event leader Mike Jackson.

“We’re planning on 1,300 to 1,500 meals,” Jackson said. “That’s where we’ve been for the last couple years. That’s what we’re preparing for.”

The Thanksgiving meal started at the church about 50 years ago, primarily for the church’s shut-in members, he said.

“It has grown to become an outreach ministry,” he said. “If someone calls and says they need a meal, we’ll deliver a meal in the county.”

Most of the meals are delivered, he said. though meals will be available in the church fellowship hall, 204 S. Main St., for anyone who wants to come in and eat.

Pulling off an event of this size takes a small army of volunteers, he said.

“Every year we say we need to take a picture or get a count,” he said. “It’s probably 200 to 250 people. When we’re cranking, you can’t move in the fellowship hall. The more people we have, the faster it goes.”

The meal is open to anyone, he said. Anyone who wants a meal delivered should call the church office at 744-5410 by Wednesday, he said. Volunteers should be at the church at 10:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving; the doors open for diners at 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

“We consider it a community event,” Jackson said.