The Rural Voice, 2000-09, Page 55Campbell. The arena. is operated
totally by volunteers and is one of the
last natural -ice rinks in the region.
The dinner not only carries on a
Belgrave tradition which the event
has become, but it accomplishes the
huge feat of feeding so many people
by the community's tradition of
working together.
It all comes off remarkably
smoothly, says Barb Black who is
secretary of the arena board.
Different groups take on the
cooking and serving for two rows of
tables each, providing potatoes and
vegetables and pie. Often the
groupings will be geographic with,
say, the fifth line of Morris
Township, or the fourth of East
Wawanosh taking on the chore of
handling two tables.
t takes 48 turkeys to feed the
masses and they, along with the
buns, dre the only purchased
foods in the massive meal. Cooking
that many turkeys can be a problem
hut the group long ago had an
arrangement made with Mclntyre's
Bakery in Wingham. This year the
committee thought they were in
trouble because the Mclntyres had
retired and closed their bakery. They
sought out other bakeries but none
could handle 48 birds at once. The
Mclntyres thought they might be
worried and so called to say they'd
turn on their ovens just for this one
event, Campbell says.
The cooked turkeys are brought to
a room at the community centre
where a crew begins carving the
meat. As the serving time draws near,
the platters or turkey are hurried into
the arena for serving.
The local minister says grace then
the rush is on as each group hurries
to put the bowls on the table in front
of the hungry diners. Soon all the
turkey and vegetables are served and
it's time to prepare for the pies which
are stacked on tables along the sides
of the arena.
In a relatively short time it's all
over for another year, the crowds
dwindle and the clean-up begins. But
not only is the money being counted
for the arena board but people of the
village and surrounding countryside
have once again renewed their
tradition of working together to keep
their community alive and lively.°
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SEPTEMBER 2000 51