The Over the Rail Diner will be opening its doors Christmas Day to serve a free holiday meal for the community. (Over the Rail Diner)

DENNISON (Tusco TV) - A downtown Dennison diner is opening up on Christmas day to make sure everyone has a hot meal and a place to go for the holiday.

Over the Rail Diner owner Tracie Bolitho says people can stop by the Center Street restaurant from 11 am to 2 pm for a Christmas meal that includes ham, dessert, and traditional holiday side dishes and dinner rolls. Bolitho says it’s completely free but they will be accepting donations for the Twin City Food Pantry if anyone wants to contribute. 

"We’ve had people who have been homeless, and we’ve had people that make a very moderate income, just there family’s not in town. They go out of town for Christmas like a week before, and Christmas they’re alone so they come spend it with us."

Bolitho says they'll also have carryout meals available for those unable to attend but they don’t provide delivery. 

"If you know somebody that’s a shut-in or can’t get out and you want to pick up their dinner, just come in and we’ll do a couple dinners and they can deliver it to the house. We have one lady who comes every year and she takes two dinners to people she knows that otherwise wouldn’t have Christmas dinner. We won’t deliver it to somebody’s house but if somebody wants to come pick it up for somebody, we’ll do that as well."

Bolitho says any food leftover at the end of the day will be packed up and taken to the Friends of the Homeless shelter. 

TUSCO TV