Submitted by:
Wade Dale

FOOD! What an equalizer. No matter your age, sex, race, creed, color or religion, FOOD, nourishes not only our physical body but also ones soul and spirit.

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A chance to gather at the table is an opportunity to discuss the coming and going of ones family and friends, but also a chance to meet and greet new people. For some, it was a chance to catch up with friends they have not seen for a while.

Bowsman United Church held its “Fall Beef Supper” on Sunday October 21, 2012 at the Bowsman Legion Hall. This allowed many of the Valley’s residents to do just that, have a cup of coffee, enjoy a home cook meal made by loving and caring hands. They provided the physical needs of our body and by chit chat in the hall, many people also feed their souls. What a perfect day to have it on, “World Food Sunday”.

The kitchen crew was lead by Verneece Eggie. Known throughout the valley for her special style of cooking. Together with her many helpers they feed approximately 300 people. On the menu — roast beef, potatoes, jelly salads, coleslaw, perogies, buns, and (according to my wife), the third food Verneece’s gravy.



For dessert, as many kinds of pie you could think of. There was a pie for everyone taste.

Such a supper comes with many, many hands working quietly in the background.


Cleaning the floors, setting up tables and chairs, doing the dishes, cleaning away and re-setting the tables for the next person. All members of the Bowsman United Church contribute not only their time, but also their talents to make the Fall Supper perfect for those dining with us.

Debbie Pierrepont was too busy mixing coleslaw to look up.

Maxine Zamzow helped with cutting pies and other jobs.

Rev. Kathy Highmoor greeted visitors to our table and helped to find seats for those that streamed through the door. Rev. Highmoor started off the meal with a prayer of thankfulness for the amazing bounty that we do enjoy in this country, and thanking the Lord for this chance to converse with each other.

There is always that unexpected excitement of anticipation of which table goes first, and of course there is also the groan of the table that realizes they’re last. But as people lined up at the smorge, ooing and ahhing over each new item they come upon on the smorge table, each person sitting back down with a loaded plate in one hand and trying to balance their coffee and dessert in the other, brought a few busts of laughter. Then there is the “OH SHUCKS, I forgot my dessert, I hope they haven run out of lemon pie.” As the hall becomes quiet you realize everyone is eating, and enjoy their meal.

The Bowsman Prayer Quilt Group got together and created a “Ohio Star” quilt. They sold tickets only at the supper, and the draw happened at about 6:30 p.m. All process from the Ohio Star Quilt will go to Port In The Storm. The winner of the quilt was Pauline Ferriss from Bowsman. Thank you to everyone who supported Port in the Storm.

But… like all good things, they must end. ~ Then the second wave of people came to follow the path of the first wave.


Good food, good friends, a great time was had by all.