Plans and pie-making are well underway for a community event known for bringing people together.
The seventh annual Davisburg Community Association’s Turkey Supper is on Oct. 1 at the Davisburg Hall. With entertainment by an acoustic guitar player, wagon rides, bouncy castles and pottery painting for the kids, and an auction tables laden with locally made, grown, or donated items, the evening promises fun and full bellies.
“It’s kind of a neat community builder,” said Diana Froc, one of the event organizers.
She said one of her favourite parts of the turkey supper is how everyone in the community comes together to pull it off. There are more than 100 volunteers working to make the supper successful, she said.
One of the biggest tasks is to make 250 pies from scratch. It takes dozens of dedicated bakers to make it happen, she said.
The process began with eight women getting together to make and portion out the pastry, she said. Another dozen people are scheduled to make the fruit pies on Sept. 23. The day before the supper the last 130 pies – pumpkin, pecan and lemon meringue – will be made so they’re fresh for the big day.
“The logistics of the pies are one of our most intensive logistics, where we have a dozen people coming in and doing the pastry and we make the pies, then everybody takes 10 pies and bakes them, or freezes them and bakes them the day before,” said Froc.
This year they’ll be getting a little additional help putting together their fruit pies.
“I’m baking pie this year,” said MD of Foothills Mayor Larry Spilak. “I don’t know what, they’re going to tell me, but Friday I’ll be there baking pies.”
Spilak said he enjoys the turkey supper and the way it brings people together.
What began as a Dunbow Rec Board fundraiser for the Scott Seaman Arena has turned into a great community gathering, he said.
“It’s been well-received and really the main purpose for everything now is just to create an evening where neighbours get an opportunity to talk to each other and meet new neighbours and bring the community closer together,” said Spilak.
There is still some fundraising incentive behind the event though, said Froc. This year, the proceeds are going toward upgrading the entryway and washrooms of the community hall to make it more mobility-friendly, she said.
“That’s a big money project, we’re talking about a $150,000 reno to make those things all work,” said Froc. “It will take multiple years of saving for us to get to that.”
Turkey suppers generate $15,000 to $20,000 in revenue each year, thanks to gift in kind donations, she said.
She said it’s nice to see the community taking ownership over its hall and being willing to help raise funds for its maintenance and improvement.
It’s a busy place in the winter months, with an average of two or three user groups per day between September and June.
“It’s really a great hub for the community,” said Froc. “It’s important for us to invest in that.”
The turkey supper is Oct. 1, beginning at 4:30 p.m. and closing at 8 p.m. A turkey dinner with all the fixings costs $22 for adults and $15 for children six to 12. Children five and under eat for free.
Tickets can be purchased at www.davisburg.ca, or at Heritage Heights School between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
