Food, friends, and fun: the chicken barbecue

Today, the annual chicken barbecue was held at Saint Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church in Grand Island, New York. It featured a meal, a silent auction, and a basket raffle. There was a bounce house for the kids and people, both kids and adults, could get their faces painted. It was a FUNraiser, as well as a FUNDraiser.

Last minute preparations were completed.

Blair is preparing the sound system. Once the sound system was prepared, it played hits from the 1950s and 1960s. Blair has a great fondness for old rock and roll music and for folk music, as well. He has played guitar in various bands over the years.

The volunteers are ready and excited about serving food. People worked at the food tent for one or two hours. My times for working in the food tent were from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. I folded placemats. The food line was fairly busy so I folded almost nonstop for approximately two hours. By the time that my shift was over, all of the placemats had been folded and distributed.

Serving food is fun for the people serving the food and for the people receiving the food. Not everyone came here to collect their food. In front of the church, there was also a "drive through" option. Many people chose that option, and they took their meals away to enjoy at home.

Here is the food service crew on the "other side of the tent." 

Elizabeth and friend enjoy the day.

The chicken gives directions to a dinner to anyone with an empty tummy who may be passing by.

In front, a few guys cook numerous chickens at one time on a great big barbecue. Here, they are seen flipping the chickens. 

Cooking so many chickens at one time takes some coordination to do this project successfully. 

Ken serves as an official greeter.

Here is the other official greeter.

The bounce house can be very relaxing. It can also be exciting, when kids start jumping with great enthusiasm.

Mike is seen wearing his new fashion statement: the lucky sombrero. People bid to get the instant lottery tickets that are stapled to this sombrero. It is an annual tradition. Maybe someday, someone will win a jackpot.

This little boy has spotted the bounce house and is eager to explore it.

It is a very big bounce house for a very tiny boy.

A girl gets her face painted. Her sister's face has already been painted.

Mary Lou and Melodie are busy with the silent auction and basket raffle tent.

Pure enjoyment with a new balloon friend.

Larry Austin is the editor of the Island Dispatch. He has come to take photographs of the event for the newspaper.

He is also looking forward to enjoying his meal.

Bishop William Franklin with Janine Childs (junior warden) and Paula King (choir director). The bishop brought his wife and his mother in law to Saint Martin's to enjoy the meal and the other activities at the FUNraiser.

Having a meal with friends and family.

This is a creative use for an old wine bottle. This was one of the things that was sold in the silent auction.

Father Earle bought this nativity set in Bethlehem, on one of the pilgrimages that he led in the holy land.

Hand painted scarf, with matching earrings.

Ribbit.

Cute little bug.

Very large hydrangea.

The chicken barbecue ended at about seven o'clock in the evening. It was fun for both workers and visitors. About an hour afterward, it started to rain but, unfortunately, the rain did not last very long. The soil is now parched. Maybe we will get more rain during the night.