Dinner organizer Betty Krause said pork and sauerkraut is standard fare for New Year’s Day because it symbolizes good luck for the coming year.

That is why Heidelberg Union Church has a pork and sauerkraut dinner each Jan. 1.

Krause said pork and sauerkraut, a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition for the new year, relates to a pig pushing forward (the new year) with its snout.

This year, there were 144 dinner guests at the first seating with the need to set up additional tables and 80 people for the evening meal with an extra table already set up in case of need.

Fellowship Hall, built in 2008, has hosted four dinners each year since 2009. The next one will be chicken potpie on March 12, with servings at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The church offers two dinners toward the beginning of the year and two toward the end.

Jim Graver, an experienced cook, is the usual chef, but he took a break and others stepped in to help on New Year’s Day. His wife, Brenda, also helps at the dinners.

Volunteers come in a day or two before each event and get started baking the pies for dessert.

Graver said he started cooking at age 12 with the Klecknersville Rangers Fire Company and with his grandmother and mother.

“They are a wonderful team,” said Krause, of the volunteers in the kitchen.

Sharon Thompson, who was there with her husband, belongs to the church and said everyone volunteers their time.

Bob Mills was helping as the cashier. A server brought him some money and said it was for three takeouts.