Other than a few years while living in Stillwater, Dwight Kennedy and his extended family have spent the past four decades spreading holiday cheer by feeding citizens of El Reno on Christmas Eve.

“Originally my wife (Diana) and I would get cases of corn, beans, bread and turkeys and we went all over town delivering to houses. We were going off the list given to us by the Department of Human Services but we found out that it was the same list that everyone else was using,” said Kennedy.

In an effort to reach more people, the Kennedys switched to a community-wide dinner, which had been served annually before the coronavirus pandemic.

“We took the same amount of food and turkeys and had a dinner. It allowed us to reach more than just a few families.

“Our intent was to provide a meal and a place for people to come and socialize on Christmas Eve that otherwise might not have a place to go,” said Kennedy.

The annual meal was halted last year due to COVID-19 and Kennedy had hoped to restart it in 2021. However, the rising number of cases from the Omicron variant changed that.

“I was worried about people getting sick. I really miss having the dinner and it bothers me because I know people look forward to the dinner. It really hurt not being able to have it,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy admits not having the dinner put a damper on his holiday spirit.

“The last few years it seemed like we could not get into the Christmas spirit at all. The dinner was what helped do that.”

However, Kennedy's cup of cheer was refilled last week with the visit of his son, Timothy from Bolivia. He brought along his wife, Anna Claudia and his daughter, Nayeli (13) and sons, Steve (9) and Levi (7).

It's the first time Timothy had been to Oklahoma since the birth of his daughter in Yukon. The boys had never been to the United States.

“I went to Bolivia five years ago but this was the first time my wife has seen them in person. It made this Christmas special having them here. I've got 25 grandchildren all over the place but they have not been coming around the last few years.

“But this year it was not hard getting into the Christmas mood having them here. It's been a lot more exciting,” said Kennedy.

Amid all the excitement, Kennedy still found time to help feed the community, delivering Christmas dinner through El Reno's Mobile Meals.

“Mobile Meals usually doesn't serve on Christmas Eve because of the dinner. But last year and again this year they did because we were not having the dinner,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy had some delivery help as all three of his grandchildren and their dad jumped on board to run a Mobile Meals route - the same deliveries Kennedy makes three times a week with his mom, Mary, and stepfather, Lloyd Boepple.

“It was special because the grandchildren were with me. This was a good way to show them how to give back to the community,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy said he hopes the dinner will return in 2022.