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Saturday's Internet Edition, July 31, 2010.
Western barbeque in RM boosts spirits, charity
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Photo by Sheri Barile
Approximately 200 gather at St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) Catholic Church in Rancho Murieta for the 5th annual Western barbeque and dance held April 30. This year, attendees brought non-perishable food to donate to the Elk Grove Food Bank.
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By Sheri Barile
River Valley Times Reporter
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The fifth annual St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Western barbeque and dance was held in the church social hall on April 30 and had a new goal this year. Scheduled on the eve of the national Stamp Out Hunger food drive, organizers decided to combine the social event featuring a barbeque meal and Western style music with charity.
Along with haystacks, milk cans, saddles and other Western gear decorating the hall, five barrels were set out for the collection of non-perishable food donations for the Elk Grove Food Bank. Flatware was also collected for Loaves and Fishes.
Approximately 200 turned out decked in hats, boots and Western style clothing to enjoy an evening with friends and neighbors. They dined on ribs, beans salads and dessert prepared by Red Oak Barbeque and Catering. Many burned off their meals by dancing to the sounds of oldies, Country Western and blues when the Almost Famous band started to play.
Event organizer Gloria Tisdale proclaimed the evening a real barnburner. “I could hardly get dinner announced because there was so much buzz going on in that hall,” she said. “This is a very social occasion where people have such a great time. It’s a community favorite.”
Tisdale announced dinner with the clang of an authentic triangle dinner bell - just one example of the effort taken to dress the event in real Western ranch style. It fit right in with the extensive decorating of the hall. Hay bales were stacked, and hay was scattered on the floor. The entire hall was adorned in authentic Western items including chaps, boots, horsewhips, wagon wheels and cow skulls. Drinks were served from a clearly labeled saloon, complete with saloon-style swinging doors.
Tisdale credited members of the community, some of them ranchers, for lending event organizers many of the items used for decorating. Carolyn Samson was among them. “We used to live on a ranch, and my basement is full of that stuff,” Samson said. “Gloria did a great job of decorating the hall with it.”
Teen volunteers dressed in jeans, boots, cowboy hats and bandanas served the meal to an appreciative crowd. Attendees Bob and Doris Hanson had a positive reaction to this part of the event, but for different reasons. Bob Hanson enjoyed the food. “Those pork ribs were absolutely excellent,” he said.
His wife appreciated the servers. “It was so nice to see that they got the young people to serve and got them involved in a community event like this,” Doris Hanson said.
The Almost Famous band took the stage after dinner, and dancing got underway. Tisdale said that, while they started trying to break up the party at 11:30, the band wound up playing until midnight. “There are always diehards,” she said.
Event volunteer Jerry Hathaway described the attendees as a faithful following. “It was the same faithful crowd that turns out every year,” he said. “They keep coming back because it’s such a great time.”
Doris Hanson agreed. “What better place to meet up with neighbors and spend the evening together,” she said. “Many people come every year who don’t belong to the church. That speaks to how enjoyable the event is.”
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Online publication, Copyright 2005, The River Valley Times.
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Copyright 2005, EZ Edit Web Publishing.
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