For some people, there's nothing better than a turkey dinner and a free sleeping bag on Thanksgiving day.

About 150 homeless are expected to attend the Calvary Lutheran Church's Thanksgiving Day dinner, which is actually served during the lunch hour on Nov. 23.

The dinner offers turkey, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables and other staples of the holiday meal. When people are through with their lunch, they can leave with a sleeping bag to keep them warm.

This is the fifth year the church has worked with the Ballard Food Bank to present this dinner.

Many of the homeless who come eat, live on the streets of Ballard. Others live in cars and motor homes, which line the streets of Ballard's industrial area. Some here about the church's generosity and come from as far away as downtown.

The church has established a reputation for caring for the needy with its hosting of lunches every Monday, paid for by the Phinney Neighborhood Association and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in cooperation with the Ballard Food Bank.

For the Thanksgiving event church members pool their money to buy 100 sleeping bags at a discount from the local Fred Meyer store.

This year the church does not expect to have enough sleeping bags to hand out and are seeking donations from the public to buy more.

"We have Ballard seniors who live in their cars. Regular guys in their late 60s and 70s," said Phyllis Delorme, the manager of the soup kitchen.

Regulars to the soup kitchen's weekly luncheons enjoy her cooking. Delmore has worked at the deli counter of a grocery store chain. He specialty is chili.

Volunteers, under Delorme's supervision cook turkey rolls bought by church members the day before. It's a big job with 275 pounds of bird.

The next morning Sid Andrews, director of the Fallen Brothers charity, which picks up food donations from area stores and delivers to the food bank and other feeding programs, brings his meat slicer in to cut the turkey breast rolls before it is warmed in ovens.

Skyler Dormier, the Ballard Food Bank's operations manager stockpiles cranberry sauce, instant potatoes, stuffing and other food products for the event.

"We fill in the gap when they don't have items," Dormier said.

The Great Harvest Bread Company on Market Street donates huge bags of bread. Some food bank volunteers bring pumpkin pies they purchased with their own money from Costco.

Church volunteers bring homemade pies, cookies and other baked goods.

It's a team effort with 40 to 50 volunteers taking shifts setting up, cooking and cleaning. The last person out the door, leaves around 5 p.m.

One family has made a regular Thanksgiving trip to the church from Bainbridge Island to volunteer their time. A Ballard woman comes and enthusiastically cleans pots and pans.

Church members also use their own money to buy socks, hats and blankets.

The people who show up are appreciative. "They are very thankful and polite," said Kristjanson.

Anyone living without a true roof over their heads can appreciate coming on Thanksgiving. The food is served family style with heaping plates of turkey and other side dishes that people can help themselves to.

"They can eat as much as they want. They don't have to eat vegetables if they don't want to," said volunteer Emily Kristjanson.

The address for dropping off sleeping bags or making donations is: Calvary Lutheran Church Soup Kitchen, 7002 23rd Ave. N.W., Seattle, WA 98117. Checks for sleeping bags should be marked "Sleeping Bag Fund." Call 783-3930. Doors open at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day with coffee and donuts being served.