Note to Phoenix: Here's something you SHOULD copy Texas on (free holiday meal)

Today, Christmas Day 2013, I attended the annual Salvation Army Christmas dinner for needy families and the homeless today. It was an OK experience - I have attended this event before - but after experiencing the H-E-B Feast of Sharing at Fair Park in Dallas (legendary and beautiful home of the State Fair of Texas) for 2012, just before my return to Arizona, the Phoenix event, which has been held in the South Building of the Phoenix Convention Center for decades, could use some help.

If the organizers of the Phoenix event could simply travel to Dallas or Austin and observe how H-E-B does things, it would greatly, greatly improve the "fan experience." The biggest issue I have always had with the Phoenix event was the long wait to be seated at the beginning of the event; the doors opened at 9:30 am and everyone is basically waiting until the 11:30 serving time. How boring and inefficient. There are lots of children's activities such as games and a massive coloring book table to help pass their time, but a more efficient beginning procedure and a longer serving time could help speed things up and actually move MORE people through the event FASTER:

1. In Dallas, patrons entered the (95,000 sf) Centennial Building through a single main entrance. They could come in at any time between 2pm and 7pm. No massive line to get in and no waiting for two hours before everyone clusters in massive, confusing lines to be seated for the meal. In Dallas, the main walkway was lined with several festively decorated tables manned by various community groups giving out information on DART public transit (I still have the DART keychain ring, pencil and plastic ruler) to free health screenings and various educational opportunities.

2. As patrons approached the main seating area, they were immediately escorted to an open seat. NO WAITING. The actual distribution of the meals was handled in a manner similar to the existing Phoenix event (handled mainly by volunteers, many of them kids). There was ample seating for all families and single people who came. And because the event lasted longer, there was less of a scramble and massive cluster.

3. Live entertainment was ONLY in the main hall, performed by a professional band, and MC'd by one of the local news anchors.

If Dallas could get this done in a 95,000 square foot space, Phoenix CAN do better because the South Building is 144,000 square feet.

1. BETTER YET: Consider moving the event to US Airways Center or Chase Field; the Suns and Diamondbacks can score HUGE points by being co-sponsors. In Houston, the United Way recruits and trains all the volunteers (about 800) and two organizations associated with the NBA also help out (NBA wives and retired NBA players). Major League Baseball NEEDS to have a STRONG presence at this event because pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training here in Phoenix in about 45 days!!!

2. One idea for a Chase Field event: serve all the free food at the regular concession stands and have people sit in the stadium seats to eat; live bands can perform in a concert setting and holiday movies such as "A Christmas Story" can play on the JumboTron screen.

2a. Open TGiFriday's restaurant and the Arizona Baseball Club to the event as well; prioritize their use to couples and single people coming with no children (it would be absolutely awesome to have a free holiday meal at the Arizona Baseball Club).

3. Pepsi can sponsor the free sodas and juices that can be served at the event. The H-E-B events served various Coca-Cola soda products with the holiday meal; the Phoenix event only offers coffee, water and Shamrock Farms milk.

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Best wishes for a good holiday season.