Bean dinner held in Necastle
The Grand Army of the Republic – 156th annual GAR bean dinner was held in McElwee Park at Newcastle on Aug. 20.
“We had a church service first, the flag raising by the Mohawk Valley 4-H club was at 10:45 a.m. and the meal was served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.,” Lisa Johnson said. She was working at the pay table along with Rae Anderson. Both ladies are on the park board. “We’ve been on the board since 2002 or 2003,” Anderson said.
“We made potato salad on Friday,” said board member Mary Stevens. “We had eight ladies around the table peeling 60 pounds of potatoes for four hours. We start meeting in June to plan everything. We have good helpers today and the 4-H club is helping us. Last night we sorted beans to make sure they were good. We dipped all the ice cream and put it into containers so it will be all ready. We cut the pies and put them into containers. We try to get as much done as we can. You can eat here or use the drive through. All proceeds support the park.”
Chuck Johnson said they started cooking the beans at 6 a.m. The beans are cooked in kettles over a fire. “We’ve been stirring them all morning. We put ham in it and salt and pepper and that’s it.” Johnson has been a bean cooker at the event for 12 years.
Live music began at 11:30 a.m. featuring the singing guitarist Brad Fuller with music from the 60s, 70s and 80s and the Walhonding Rube Band entertained from 1-2 p.m.
Karen Locke was in everyone’s thoughts this year. She passed away on Aug. 2 and always organized the GAR bean dinner each year. Lisa Johnson, Karen Locke’s daughter said, “We promised mom that we would carry on with the bean dinner.”
Bess Vanatta representing the Coshocton Blue Star Mothers Ohio 59 brought a wooden memorialized plaque from the Blue Star mothers for the Locke Family. “She was always giving from the heart and always involved in the community. Serving with her music in the Rube Band, involvement with 4-H and volunteering with different boards that she served on, including the Kno-Ho-Co board for many years and the love of our veterans and their families kept her involved with the McElwee Park Mission GAR bean dinner,” Vanatta said.
The Grand Army of the Republic Bean Dinner is held annually since 1867.
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