West Barre church sells out of turkey dinners in election day tradition

Regarding politics and hot-button issues, ‘We don’t talk about it’

Photos by Tom Rivers

BARRE – Dora Leader, left, and Shania Mathes put turkey dinners in plastic bags as part of the assembly line of volunteers at West Barre United Methodist Church.

The church served 479 dinners on Tuesday in an election day tradition going back at least 40 years.

The church used to have a dine-in option, but since the Covid pandemic in 2020 he meals have been served drive-through only.

Scott Bennett, a technician with the Orleans County Board of Elections, picked up eight dinners to take back to the BOE staff in Albion. Bennett, a Barre resident, said he has been coming for the meals on election day for the past 25 years.

The church used to serve lunches and dinners on election day, but has scaled back with fewer volunteers.

Tuesday’s dinner was still a big effort for the church, with members cooking 30 turkeys, five 50-pound bags of potatoes, 80 boxes of stuffing, 60 pies, and many bushels of squash and seven cans of No. 10 cranberry sauce.

The vehicles are lined up for the meals, which were hot items in Barre.

Naomi Caldwell cuts a pumpkin pie into eight slices. She looks forward to helping prepare and serve the dinner every year.

“It’s a lot of effort for a small church but we love it,” Caldwell said. “We are a community. We are one body.”

The church also serves 900 chicken barbecue dinners during July.

Eileen Collins whips up water and butter for the stuffing.

Melissa Dibley is ready to put turkey in the to-go containers.

The event brings the church members together in a town where there are strong opinions about a wind energy project, and who should serve on the Town Board.

“We agree to disagree,” said Joy Markle, one of the coordinators of the dinner. “There are some who are for and some who are against. We don’t talk about it.”