The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher-Owner
What a delicious meal the La Harpe Fire District prepared for their annual Community Christmas Dinner! Extra juicy roasted turkey with all the trimmings was served at the La Harpe Christian Church on Saturday, Dec. 14th (11 a.m. until 1 p.m.) and a continual line moved through the buffet with firemen standing ready to serve.
The La Harpe Fire District is made up of three fire departments (La Harpe, Fountain Green, and Terre Haute) with 50 volunteer firemen serving their communities.
The district has been serving this feast since 1988, said Fire Chief Jerry Brown. "We are now in our 32nd year. The first ten years it was held at the fire station, but has since opened up for everyone and has moved to the Christian Church.
"Terry Housewright was Fire Chief and put it together, it was his idea," Brown said. "He didn't want anyone who didn't have a family Christmas or couldn't afford a meal to go without a Christmas dinner, so he and the department started this as a community service.
"Terry's dad Bill Housewright would donate half of the turkeys and Gene Ross would donate the other half."
"We never charged or ask for donations," Brown said, "but people would throw money under the Christmas Tree or on the table or floor and say they wanted to give, so now we put a boot out just for those who want to donate, but they don't have to, it is a free meal."
This year's dinner had 200 lbs. of turkey. They had 10 roasters each with a 20 lb. turkey. "Chad and Bill deboned all the turkeys last night," Brown said. "The night before at our fire meeting, firemen chopped celery and onions and broke up bread for the dressing.
"It's a lot of fun and we enjoy doing the meal", he said. "We used 15 lb. onion, 6 bags celery, 18 sandwiches loaves of bread, milk, eggs, sage, broth, and butter just for the dressing.
"We use 40 lbs of fresh potatoes added to a couple gallons of instant potatoes; 6 gallons of green beans with 5 lbs. bacon added; 5 gallons of corn; and make gravy with turkey broth and corn starch, bake rolls, prepare drinks, but have someone make the frosted cakes."
Brown said they carried out over 80 dinners as well as those who came into the church to enjoy the buffet and fellowship.