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Dinner raises money for Mike Kocher Memorial Scholarship Fund

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The aroma of roasting turkeys was evident in the basement door of Saint Peter and Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on Saturday as the parish held its 17th annual Turkey Fest.</p><p>A complete traditional Thanksgiving meal was offered, along with pasties, baked goods, raffles and more.</p><p>As roughly 20 parishioners were preparing meals, event chair Steve Mykulyn stepped out of the kitchen to greet guests. He assisted those who brought bags of canned goods to donate over to the raffle section, explaining that the church has been holding the pantry raffle for the last 10 years.</p><p>&#8220;As an incentive for (bringing the canned goods), we have a raffle with Christmas items,&#8221; he said as he pointed to stockings full of wrapping paper and bows.</p><p>Although the festival was in its first hour, Mykulyn said that the group already dished out 102 meals.</p><p>&#8220;The most we&#8217;ve ever done was about 360 dinners,&#8221; he said, adding that it equaled about one dinner per minute. &#8220;We&#8217;ll probably do better than 300 today.&#8221;</p><p>He said that all the foods for the event were prepared by parishioners, and if guests don&#8217;t have the time to sit down and eat, take-out orders were also available.</p><p>&#8220;We kind of do the food as it&#8217;s needed,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The plates were filled with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots, peas and a bun. A piece of pumpkin pie was on the side for dessert, for good measure.</p><p>Among the people enjoying an early turkey dinner was the woman who originally had the idea of the Turkey Fest years ago.</p><p>As Jacci Demko, of Mountain Top, sat with her husband, Michael, she explained how she came up with the idea for the event.</p><p>Saying the church was looking for things to do as a fundraiser, she mentioned she had visited other parishes who held a turkey dinner.</p><p>&#8220;We took a vote on it, tried it and it stuck. Everybody looks forward to a turkey dinner,&#8221; she said with a chuckle.</p><p>Demko, who stated she has prior restaurant experience, said that her favorite part about the event is serving others.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very big on presentation,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I want (the plates) to look good.&#8221;</p><p>Mykulyn said he enjoys seeing familiar faces come to the event year-after-year, but there&#8217;s one other thing he&#8217;s most fond of.</p><p>&#8220;Did you see Tom outside?,&#8221; he asked.</p><p>No, Tom is not a person. It&#8217;s a giant inflatable turkey.</p><p>He said he found the holiday decoration when he was driving his son to college, passing a yard sale on the way. There was Tom, outside for sale for $25.</p><p>&#8220;It was a great deal,&#8221; he said of the now yearly attraction that sits in the church&#8217;s front lawn.</p><p>Wilkes-Barre resident Jeremy Sereyka has been attending the turkey festival for years with his family. He said the likes that it&#8217;s a family-friendly environment.</p><p>&#8220;But most importantly, its an excellent turkey dinner,&#8221; he added.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Teddy Mykulyn, of Plains, dishes out bread stuffing into a baking pan. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_turkeydinner02.jpg</photo0><caption0>Teddy Mykulyn, of Plains, dishes out bread stuffing into a baking pan. </caption0><photoCredit0>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_turkeydinner01.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Sister Theodosia, left, and Sister Regina, both from St. Mary&#8217;s Church in Wilkes-Barre, enjoy a turkey dinner on Saturday at St. Peter &amp; Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_turkeydinner01.jpg</photo1><caption1>Sister Theodosia, left, and Sister Regina, both from St. Mary&#8217;s Church in Wilkes-Barre, enjoy a turkey dinner on Saturday at St. Peter &amp; Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Wilkes-Barre. </caption1><photoCredit1>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Saint Peter and Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s Turkey Fest brings in a crowd