What hits the spot on a cold, February day more than a warm turkey turnover smothered in gravy and served up with a side of green beans and mashed potatoes with apple crisp for dessert?

If you ask anyone here in Mexico, the answer is nothing because the Turkey Turnover Dinner is something so many look forward to all year long.

The annual Community Teachers Association Turkey Turnover Dinner is perhaps the most iconic Mexico Public Schools fundraisers. It began back in 1967 and hasn’t really changed since, because why would it?

“People love it,” says Phoebe Pettit, is this year’s CTA president.

Pettit has been involved in the CTA as a building representative for three years now and last year, she served as treasurer. She is also the Agriculture teacher at Mexico Middle School.

The CTA supports district students and staff. Their fundraisers raise money for scholarships for MHS students and grants for teachers. Most recently, the CTA distributed six, $150 grants to district teachers.

“We like to do different pick-me-ups,” Pettit explains. “We do a lunch for teachers during teacher appreciation week, a Christmas gift, and we also do a Valentine’s activity where teachers get surprise gifts if they find little hearts around the school.”

Pettit remembers turkey turnover dinners from when she was a child, being a Mexico student herself.

“I graduated in 2013, so I always remember having a turkey turnover multiple times a year,” says Pettit. “My parents always dragged me to the Turkey Turnover Dinner.”

But the tables have turned and her parents, Laura Ann and Craig Frazer, were there helping out their daughter as volunteers early in the evening.

If you’re wondering what a turkey turnover is, the best way to describe it would probably be a delicious cross between a turkey pot pie and an empanada.

“If you’re not from here, you probably don’t know what they are,” Pettit laughs.

A flakey, half moon shaped pastry is stuffed full of rich, turkey goodness and then baked in the oven until golden brown.

“It’s just a nice tradition of serving people food that takes them back to their high school years,” says Pettit.

This year, Pettit is expecting to serve 250–300 people between sit down dinners and carry-out orders.

“It’s a lot of turkey, and they’re all handmade by our cafeteria staff,” says Pettit.

This year, the CTA announced the annual dinner’s return months in advance and sold tickets for $7 through teachers as well as at Mosers, United Credit Union, Show Me Credit Union, and Commerce Bank through Jan. 21.

100 tickets were set aside to be sold at the door, but 15 minutes after the first turnover hit the table, they had sold out and had to start turning people away.

“It’s a slam dunk,” says CTA Co-president Janet Tate, who was manning the drink station with the upcoming basketball game clearly on her mind.

The Turkey Turnover Dinner is held every year during Winterwarming before the game, and it raises around $1,000.

Local teachers and the CTA executive committee all pitched in to help, they signed up to serve in shifts throughout the night.

The Turkey Turnover Dinner keeps growing year after year, keeping this decades-old tradition alive and well. Pettit hopes to see the trend continue.

“It’s a good way to support our community, support our teachers and have fun,” Pettit adds.