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October 31, 2019ADA – It isn’t hard for Patricia Butler to remember 70 years ago and how embarrassed her mother had been with her children. Ada didn’t have many restaurants that a young, cash-strapped, large Catholic family could afford.
“My sisters and I had never seen so many food choices. It was so exciting,” she said. “We grabbed so many olives that my mother was embarrassed.”
Butler doesn’t think she has missed a Smorgasbord since.
“It is great how this parish comes together; the youth, the older people; everyone contributes,” she said. “When I think of the Smorgasbord, I think of the love and hard word of my husband, my mother and my grandmother.”
Shirley Posey worked at the first Smorgasbord as a teenager in 1950.
“I have volunteered for every job during the past 70 years, but my favorite job has always been doing dishes! I have enjoyed working with every priest we have had at the parish, working with all the volunteers and seeing all the customers coming for the event. It really introduces Catholicism to almost 1,000 people in the community,” she said.
The 70 th annual Saint Joseph Catholic Church Smorgasbord Dinner will be Sunday, Nov. 10, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Dinner will be served in the parish hall, 1300 E. Beverly St. Take out also is available.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children age 10 and under. Children age 3 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased from parishioners, at the door or by contacting the parish office.
Father Costello started the annual event that now draws a crowd of 900 to 1,000 people. It started as a fundraiser to help pay off the church’s debt in the early years.
According to Laura Miller, the parish nurse and office administrator, “We ask all church members to at least sell tickets, and then we ask for them to join a committee. More than 100 volunteer their services, and there are more than 34 committees that contribute to a successful event.”
A bazaar will be located in an education room and will include candies, pies, cakes, breads and handmade crafts for purchase. A raffle will be held to win a $500 gift card. Tickets are $2 each.
The dinner will include Swedish meatballs, garlic cheese grits, broccoli casserole, curried fruit, sliced turkey and other favorite dishes, including tamales.
For more information, contact Saint Joseph at (580) 332-4811.
Charles Albert is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
