Hilda Palmer of Laureldale lifted a big scoop of green beans from a serving warmer at Ruscombmanor Fire Company.
She gently laid them into sections of two plastic containers nestled next to the corn, roasted pork and sauerkraut. One container for her. One for her sister.
"I'm taking one home for my sister who has been getting Meals on Wheels," Palmer said from behind a blue disposable mask. She's been coming to the fire company's New Year's Day meal, a 35-year tradition, for more years than she could count.
The fire company social hall bustled with purpose as volunteers roasted pork and cut pies for dessert Friday. What was missing was the crowds. Usually the hall is filled with 30 or more tables for the company's biggest fundraiser, which brings in thousands of dollars to keep the lights on and engines running.
Usually there was a line of people outside the building on Pricetown Road, said Sharliene Bowers, deputy chief. A rush of about 80 people between 10 and 11 a.m. was considered good in a year when organizers, limited by restrictions on large gatherings and dining indoors, had no idea what to expect for a takeout-only fundraiser.
This is not how the New Year's Day tradition of pork and sauerkraut is supposed to be: Empty church and fire social halls and takeout containers.
According to Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, eating pork and sauerkraut is supposed to bring luck in the New Year because a pig roots forward. That's not why Palmer drove 20 minutes for a meal she could make at home.
"I enjoy it," she said. "I don't get it because I think it brings good luck. I'm doing something from my heritage. It's enjoyable to come here."
She missed the camaraderie and sense of community that comes with a sit-down meal in the fire company.
"I miss it," Palmer said. "Oh my goodness I miss it."
So did Richard Schlegel. But he came to get the $11 meal anyway.
"I do miss it, but I still want to support the fire company," Schlegel said.
Pulling off such a big fundraiser takes lots of volunteers. About 40, said Ruscombmanor Fire Chief Tom Rhoads. He said the company cut back a little on its ordering: Instead of 850 pounds of pork, organizers ordered 800 in anticipation of selling about 750 meals. Add to that 400 pounds of potatoes and 600 pounds of sauerkraut. Cooking started three days before New Year's.
People are craving the social aspect of community meals, said Steve Miller of St. Paul's UCC in Robesonia. He said he noticed fewer people at the church's monthly soup kitchen but that they would linger for a long time. St. Paul's pork and sauerkraut dinner this year would need fewer volunteers since it was takeout only.
"We sell out sometimes, but we have no idea what to expect (this year)," he said. They planned for about 250 meals and had to buy more takeout containers than usual as well as rely on purchased cakes for dessert instead of homemade donations.
St. Pauls's serves a sauerkraut casserole created by the late Francis Kline. It has apples, onion, celery, oregano and already cooked pulled pork. It is served with mashed potatoes on the side.
Jason Lutz, president of the Brecknock Township Fire Company, said the annual pork and sauerkraut meal brings the rural community together.
"It's the family concept," Lutz said. "You have the same faces for 30 years. The majority of our customers come from Brecknock. Some see each other only at our event. We're not there just for emergencies but for the community."
Typically the fire company serves about 350 people but this year organizers planned for about a third fewer customers. Usually about 50 people take out, but this year everyone would be. Lutz said it was challenging planning for a takeout-only affair, not knowing how many would still show up.
"People like to be able to sit down and talk to neighbors," Lutz said. "Will they be turned off because they can't have those conversations?"
Lutz also had to scramble to make sure he had enough supplies. Where he usually might engage two vendors, he has had to work with six. The fire company prefers to work with local suppliers whenever possible.
Pork arrived a week later than usual because of production problems at meat processing plants, he said. Scott Irwin, owner of food distributor Chester Irwin and Son in Reading, said there is a good supply of pork but plants have had to process it with fewer workers due to COVID infections and safety limitations. It also effected the cuts available, Irwin said. Specialty cuts that are labor intensive such as spiral sliced ham were harder to get, Irwin said. But pork and sauerkraut meals rely on larger cuts, so that was not an issue.
At St. Johns Lutheran Church in Sinking Spring, Pastor Rich Moore said the food was same as previous years — homemade with love, as the church advertises. There was no china or silverware in the fellowship hall, though. And fewer volunteers.
"What's different is a smaller crew of people to stay safe," he said. "The biggest thing that is different is that we always have indoor seating."
Usually the youth ministry would seat people in the fellowship hall as well as bus tables. This year the meals would be handed to customers as they drove up. As always, two church members started cooking at 2 a.m.
Moore has a pamphlet he shares that explains why the church holds the dinner. He connects it to the medieval celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany known as the Boar's Head Festival.
Church member Deb Scheidt said St. John's cookied about 190 pounds of pork for about 200 customers. Last year, volunteers served 229, she said. Instead of having members donate desserts, the church will rely on commercial supplies, including a donation from Sweet Street Desserts.
Scheidt said about 10 volunteers helped put the dinner together when usually she would have two shifts of 25 to 35 people.
"We're trying to be conservative because of COVID," she said.
The Link LonkJanuary 02, 2021 at 12:20AM
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Berks County pork and sauerkraut tradition sustains despite COVID - The Mercury
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