Festival serves up slow-roasted chicken

By By Penny Randall / staff writer
November 3, 2004
Slow-roasted chicken, with baked beans and homemade cole slaw, will be the speciality of the day at the Poplar Springs Drive United Methodist Church Fall Food Festival.
On Saturday, the church will host its annual festival just as it has for more than 20 years. The festival will be from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and visitors should enter through the back of the church.
Roasted chicken plates are $6 each; you can dine at the church or take your plate home.
Overseeing the preparation and cooking of 900 halves of chicken will be longtime church member James A. McElroy, who said his secret is heat-controlled cooking pits.
In past years, church members have served more than 850 plates of food during the festival. They hope to sell at least that many on Saturday.
Also on sale will be an assortment of homemade baked and frozen casseroles including sweet potato, hash browns, broccoli and rice, cornbread dressing and various meat dishes.
Soups will include vegetable beef and chicken. And don't forget church member Norman Samuelson's famous chili.
There's also something for sweet lovers. A huge selection of homemade pies, cakes and cookies will be for sale.
The profits from the Fall Food Festival historically are used to help the church's building fund.
The project will include remodeling the sanctuary, relocating and updating the office suite, renovating the education building and relocating the church's day school program.
The day school is for children 6 weeks to 4 years. Linda McCullough is the director of the state-licensed program.
What: Poplar Springs Drive United Methodist Church Fall Festival
Where: 3937 Poplar Springs Drive
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Call: 485-5598
Free delivery: Five or more plates
Tickets: $6 each. They can be purchased in advance from any church member or at the church office.