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FT. MADISON, IOWA -- We still have time before the stoves and ovens are full of Thanksgiving dishes, but the city of Fort Madison got an early start.

A group of Central Lee High School students found out that Fort Madison used to host a community Thanksgiving dinner.

Those students and some other volunteers have been working since September to host that dinner once again.

KHQA's Jarod Wells shows us this community gift from the heart.

Ft. Madison Area Chamber of Commerce Coordinator Sarah Cantrell said, "On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we will be offering a free community Thanksgiving meal. It is for anyone, whether you're hungry, whether you don't want to cook, single person, family, it doesn't matter."

Tuesday, November 23rd was cooking day.

Cantrell said, "We went through 41 14lb. turkeys. We were lucky enough that someone in our community volunteered to purchase all of those turkeys for us."

The majority of the food was donated. And with an expected 400 dinners needed, that's a lot of donations.

Cantrell said, "The community has really rallied, we see that this has been missing because the community has gotten behind this."

Volunteers started at 6:00 a.m. preparing the turkey, stuffing, gravy and all the other Thanksgiving trimmings.

Cantrell said, "We just have to warm it up on Thursday and serve."

The dinner will be served Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

Dinners will be delivered as well.