Salem E.C. Church in Lenhartsville hosted its 9th annual Pig Roast and Car Show with 87 entries on Sept. 16.
Awards went to top truck for Dan and Terry Williams’ 1954 Ford F100, top motorcycle for Frank Grate’s trike and top car for Bubba Henry’s 1973 Challenger.
“We had more competitive cars this year,” said Gladys Adam who coordinated volunteers in this area. “The perfect weather added to our success. It was a great community outreach and everyone enjoyed it!”
Ken Eigenbrod of Kutztown enjoyed eating his pulled-pork lunch while sitting by his entry, a 1967 Ford Mustang which was his late brother’s. This was Eigenbrod’s first time at the Salem event, and enjoyed the experience.
“I like being out with the other car people,” he said.
While guests viewed vehicles, and they were entertained by local band Roy’s Gym performing classic hits from the ’50s and ’60s.
Hamburg Area Middle School sophomore Ethan Long scooped heaping portions of Candy’s Homemade Ice Cream for customers. Long was among several teens who staffed the trailer.
“I chose to help out because I enjoy volunteering and helping at church events,” he said. “While working in the trailer, you could really see how much people were enjoying their ice cream.”
Brandon Kutz oversaw elements of the tractor show, including a hay-bale toss and new in 2017 a mini-excavator challenge. Winners in the tractor show were first place Tylor Phillips, second place Richard and Allen Schaeffer and third place Ben Simon.
Over 30 farm vehicles, many of them antiques, were on display, along with a small grouping of hit-or-miss engines, as well as a “touch the truck” display.
Nearby, the Miller-Keystone bloodmobile was set up for donations. Charles Mowery, mobile unit assistant, said he was very happy with the outcome at the end of the day with 26 people to donate blood.
In the church’s gym, several contests were ongoing, challenging entrants to guess the combined weight of hams and other pork products or to estimate the exact distance from the front door of the room to a target in the back.
Children were welcomed to the Pig Pen where they could play barnyard-themed tic-tac-toe, enter a coloring contest or pick from a basket of pig-shaped erasers.
A Centershot Archery display invited people to enter a shooting contest or consider joining the competitive-style archery program. Classes will begin Tuesday nights on Oct. 17.
Nearby, those staffing a church informational table welcomed guests and offered to take prayer requests. Many asked to have a prayer said on the spot. Others stopped by a table filled with hand-made lap quilts and other items made by the church’s Happy Hands group.
A silent auction featured themed baskets, gift certificates and handmade items. Two large-ticket items were a freezer stuffed with freshly-frozen pork products and a free-standing smoker.
Church member Wayne Adam of Kutztown provided a live demonstration of hex painting. Adam, who had several other hex signs in the auction, said he prefers using traditional patterns which he marks in pencil on the pieces before painstakingly filling them in with paint. Sometimes, he added, he changes up the colors for variety and personal preference.
Tonia Krick has helped organize the auction for several years. She said her entire family looks forward to the chance to enjoy the pork or ice cream, browse auction selections and check out the tractors and cars.
“With the beautiful weather, you couldn’t ask for a better day,” she said. “I specifically enjoy being part of organizing the silent auction, it’s exciting to see what gets donated and how the bidding gets going, it makes for an exciting day.”
As they checked their bids at the table, visitors were pulled in by the smell of pork and the promise of dessert in the kitchen. The kitchen served about 794.
“This could not happen without the help of an amazing team,” said Beverly Ruppert, who led the kitchen crew. “We work together as a family, laughing and joking – blessing each and every person that comes to our dining room. We are not only feeding their bellies but feeding their souls as well.”
After the event closed, 75 meals were packaged and hand delivered as a gift to residents of Wyndcliffe House Apartments in Hamburg. In this way, Pastor Dave Long said the day began and ended on the same note, serving the community.
