Whether Nancy Dowding is sitting down to lunch with old friends or perfect strangers at the Human Service Center’s weekly gathering, the result is the same.

“No matter what, it’s always wonderful,” Dowding said.

The Human Services Center hosts its Feast and a Flick for residents and their guests almost every Thursday, barring holiday weeks. Today’s event was a special one in honor of the holidays, boasting a menu that included spinach salad, stuffed pork loin and a Christmas-tree decorated cheesecake.

Dolores Larsen said the lunch never disappoints, praising the cooks, other volunteers and guests.

“It’s a nice group,” she said.

Many of the volunteers have been with the program since the beginning, said Ann Hamski, the food service manager at the center. Each has their own assigned role and work together to prepare the meal, set it up and clean up the room after the event ends.

“They are just incredible,” Hamski said.

The lunch usually ends around 1 p.m., with some guests sticking around to chat and others heading to the room with that day’s movie, Hamski said. Thursday’s movie was “The 12 Dogs of Christmas.” The lunch is open to residents 60 and older. It costs $5 for residents and $7 for their guests.