I had a moment of panic the other day when I was penciling something into my schedule book. I had heard our fire department was having a hog roast fundraiser over at the Catholic Church to help renovate a fire truck.
That's a good cause, I thought. And very few in a small Midwest town will miss out on a good hog roast.
I turned to the day in October when the roast was schedule for and - horror! - it was the same day and time as our women's fellowship annual chicken noodle dinner!
Now, in a big city this would hardly matter. There are enough people to spread around to dozens of fundraisers. When you're dealing with less than 1,000 people in town, that is not the case. This can't be, I thought!
So, Brady and I did what we always do in a crisis, we hopped on our bikes and headed across town to see my mother-in-law! She'd know what to do!
I explained the situation to her and she said, "Oh dear. You need to call the president!" I called up this wonderful, nice lady and told her the deal too. As it turned out, another women's fellowship member - and mother of the volunteer firefighter guy (and hubby's long time friend) who had told me about the hog roast - had called her already and they rescheduled the dinner for the following weekend.
The thing is, in a small town both of these fundraisers are crucially important. We're 10 miles from any larger town, so firefighting HAS to be done quickly and locally.
And the chicken noodle dinner (more later this month on the traditional making of the noodles) is the women's fellowship main fundraiser each year. This year the funds will go to a church member's 15-year-old grand son who, after suffering terrible seizures, was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Like I always say, here what we do is personal. We know who we're helping and I love that.
So, looks like I'll be busy two weekends in October at least and full of really, really good food.
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Awww that's awesome! As you said that's something that you wouldn't have to worry about in a big town but in a small town you need all the support you can get. Happy to know that everything was able to be worked out and now you'll be able to attend both events. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, fortunately everyone is cooperative and tries to support each other.
DeleteI love it! I sometimes wish I could be in a small town like that! I wish you great success with both endeavors. (I love how the women's ministry worked it out with no hard feelings too.)
ReplyDeleteIt truly is a unique experience :) I'll have to report later how much the noodle dinner raised. I'm amazed how much can be rallied in a small town.
DeleteYes, both of those are so crucially important! Sounds like you did the right thing and someone else had the same thought. I love that you went to your mother-in-laws. I love closeness in family!
ReplyDeleteI've never had to think about something like that before but I knew instantly that wouldn't work! We're always hopping on our bikes to see her. I think she likes that too :)
DeleteI absolutely love this part of living in a small town. When someone is ill, there's a benefit. If the school FFA needs money, they hold a breakfast. There's a group of kids exchanging with a German School? Pulled pork dinner it is! You can pretty much count on somewhere to eat every weekend through fall and winter.
ReplyDeleteYes! Everyone rallies around each other and the community. And such good food, oh my word. In the spring, I'll have to post a pic of the looooonnnng pie table at the church sale. Glorious, glorious pies.
DeleteI would love to go to the hog roast or chicken noodle dinner! Now I'm hungry. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL! I'll have to share pics of both. I've never had such good food as I have in this little town.
DeleteThis is awesome! I could not help thinking of I Love Lucy while I was reading this and how Lucy and Ethel would have handled this catastrophe. I'm sure their plan would have involved more scheming and less grace. It is really cool that you have such a direct connection for your philanthropy. :)
ReplyDelete~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
LOL! Lorelai, I love how you can relate things to cool old shows like I Love Lucy and Murder She Wrote. I guess our town is like that. We could use a Lucy and Ethel to stir this place up, or maybe that's Brady and I. Ha!
DeleteIsn't small town life grand? Actually, I love it. It is great that the church fund raiser could be re-scheduled. I am looking forward to hearing more about making those noodles. I have always wanted to do that, but have never tried it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Thanks, Regina, it really really is wonderful. I have never made homemade noodles except through the church. It's a messy yet graceful experience.
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