The Hamburg Grange is holding its final chicken pot-pie dinner of the year and is thanking veterans by offering all veterans and active military a free meal this Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Hamburg Area High School.
“We feel that it is important to give something to those who have served to protect our country and the freedoms that we all enjoy,” said Michael Adams, Hamburg Grange president. “We are incorporating this with our November pot pie dinner because of Veteran’s Day being celebrated in November. We are planning to do this for every pot pie dinner in November.”
From 4 to 7 p.m., the community is invited for a night of homemade food, desserts and socializing. Soon after the chapter was chartered in November of 2005, the organization began doing spaghetti dinners at the Hamburg Municipal Center. The dinners were such a hit that a larger space was needed and it was decided to do pot pie dinners at the high school. Dinners were sold out before the end of the most recent dinner.
“We enjoy the dinners due to the community response. First, they have become a good fundraiser for us and the people that show up express that they really like our dinners. Secondly, it’s like a family reunion. Once they come to eat, they like to sit around and talk to neighbors and friends that they probably don’t see too often in a very relaxed atmosphere. We have a lot of repeat customers and they usually ask when the next one will be,” explained Adams.
From the start, the proceeds raised from the February dinners were donated to a specific cause. In 2009, the proceeds were donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in honor of Roy Heffner, Hamburg Grange charter vice-president who passed away due to muscular dystrophy. Proceeds from the 2010 dinner were used to provide a meal to all of the soldiers and families from the Hamburg Armory. At the 2011 pot pie dinner, 25% of the proceeds were donated to the Hamburg Food Pantry and 25% were donated to the Hamburg Public Library. Berks County Crime Alert received $1,000 from the 2012 dinner. One Wish Foundation received $1,000 from the 2013 dinner and the most recent February dinner proceeds resulted in a $1,000 donation to Red Creek Wildlife.
“Some of the proceeds from this dinner are specifically going to cover the free meals for the veterans and active military. The rest will go back to the community in some form or another,” said Adams. “We will be donating all the proceeds from the 2015 February pot pie dinner to the ‘Save Our Strand Campaign.'”
Grange pot pie dinners are held three times a year the third Saturday in February, September and November. Everything is made and organized by members of the Grange which is a family fraternal organization dedicated to the betterment of rural America through community service, education, legislation and fellowship. Hamburg Grange meets twice a month on the second Saturday at 4 p.m. and the fourth Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Hamburg Municipal Center.
The November pot pie dinner is this Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Hamburg Area High School in the cafeteria from 4 to 7 p.m. A free meal is available to all veterans and active military with a proper ID. Meals are available to eat in or take out. There is a cost for the community and desserts will be available for purchase.
