The Hinesville Military Affairs Committee has finalized coordination plans to provide free meals to Fort Stewart soldiers and their families during the installation’s Fourth of July celebrations.

“Everything is tracking well,” P.J. Schneider told the committee Monday during HMAC’s meeting. “It’s all going to plans. And thanks to increased donations, we’re cutting back on orders from the (Fort Stewart) commissary for hotdogs, hamburgers, sausages, buns, ketchup and mustard. That should keep HMAC’s expenses at $5,000 for this year.”

Schneider said several local restaurants such as Baldinos, Popeye’s and McDonalds were splitting the cost of food with HMAC, which contributed to the savings. He said McDonalds also was providing frozen treats, and another vendor had recently contacted him about providing snow cones.

“Serving runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until we run out of food,” he said, noting the food court would be a large, white tent in a field behind the car wash and across from Club Stewart. “We will be set up to cook in one area and provide the food in two or three other areas, so the lines won’t be so long.”

Although other veteran organizations like the Vietnam Veterans Association are assisting Schneider stressed volunteers are needed to help with equipment setup on July 3, and then cooking and distributing food July 4, when approximately 15,000 meals will be provided.

Those interested in volunteering can email Schneider at paul.schneider@gdol.ga.gov.

Volunteers are scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. on July 3 at Stewart’s commissary. All those cooking and serving need to attend a safety briefing by Winn Army Community Hospital’s Preventive Medicine personnel at 5 p.m. Thursday, he said.

In other business, George Holtzman updated committee members on the planned veterans memorial at Bryant Commons.

He said there had been discussion about what uniforms the statues would wear to represent each branch of the Armed Services. He and others were considering using the crest of each branch of the military rather than statues. That would cut back on both the expense of the project and the timeline for its completion, which he said is tentatively Memorial Day 2015.