One piece of log creates a small fire, adequate to warm you up, add just a few more pieces to blast an immense bonfire, large enough to warm up your entire circle of friends; needless to say that individuality counts but team work dynamites.
~Jin Kwon

Jin Kwon was right. The Mallard Creek Barbecue has continued to be successful for eighty plus years because of the teamwork of many people. A fellowship develops by working together that is hard to achieve otherwise.

That is the reason the Barbecue Committee is asking you for your help with the annual Barbecue.  Coming together, sharing together, working together, succeeding together.
This quote describes the work of the folks at Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church. The annual Barbecue is not a project of the Barbecue Committee, rather it is a whole-church project… the single largest project tackled each year to raise money for missions and operational needs.  We, the church, need you. So now you want to know….

What can you do to help make this year’s Barbecue a success?

Sell advance tickets. See Dale McLaughlin or Crawford Deaton for advanced tickets… especially nice for local businesses. Please be sure to let everyone know the Barbecue takes place at the Community House (11400 Mallard Creek Road–not at the Church). And while we’re delighted when everyone comes to eat and work… we really need your muscle!

On Saturday, October 8, we need folks (male or female) for a work day at the Community House. We need to check for needed repairs and maintenance, and general clean-up. Come to the Community House about 8:00AM. Bring work gloves. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and comfortable shoes. See Charles Kimrey, Bill Wood or Craven Oehler for instruction. Time commitment 2 – 6 hours.

On Wednesday, October 19, we need strong folks (male or female) to help set up the equipment for cooking the meat. Come to the Community House after lunch. Bring work gloves. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and comfortable shoes. See Donnie Oehler or Bill Wood for instruction. Time commitment 2 – 6 hours.

On Thursday and Friday (October 20 and 21) and again on Monday and Tuesday (October 24 and 25) Robin Overcash will be organizing meals to feed the workers. Give her a call if you can contribute a dish. Perhaps your favorite casserole, vegetable, or dessert.

On Thursday, October 20 and Friday, October 21, we need folks about 5:00AM – 5:30AM to build fires and help carry the ham shoulders and butts from the cooler to the cookers. Bring work gloves. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and comfortable shoes. After the meat is on the cookers, you should have time to go home and get dressed for work. Or you can stay all day, or as long as you can. See Charles Kimrey or Bill Wood for instruction. Time commitment 2 -12 hours.

Also on Thursday, October 20 and Friday, October 21, we need folks to stay and help monitor the process. About 11:00AM, the first meat will be ready to come off the cookers, and begin the chopping and seasoning process. Bring rubber/kitchen gloves, a hat or hairnet and an apron. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty (smelling like barbecue) and comfortable shoes. See Bill Wood, Donnie Oehler or Ronnie Oehler for instruction. Time commitment 3 – 5 hours.

After the barbecue is cooked, seasoned and cooled, on Thursday, October 20 and possibly on Friday, October 21, we need folks to weigh and bag barbecue into one pound packages. Bring rubber/kitchen gloves, a hat or hairnet and an apron. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty (smelling like barbecue) and comfortable shoes. See Scott Jones or Becky Wood for instruction. Time commitment 2 – 5 hours.

On Saturday, October 22 the slaw will be prepared. Starting about 8:00AM, we need folks to clean cabbage, peel onions, scrape carrots and celery. Bring rubber/kitchen gloves, a hat or hairnet and an apron. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty (smelling like vinegar and slaw) and comfortable shoes. See Holly or Jason Oehler for instruction. The ingredients will be ground, seasoned and mixed. Time commitment 3-4 hours.

After the slaw has been made, the building needs to be cleaned, gas lines hooked up and lots of cans and utensils washed. Bring rubber/kitchen gloves and an apron. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and comfortable shoes. See Connie or Rusty Wallace for instruction. Time commitment 3-4 hours.

On Sunday, October 23, tear yourself away from football, or your Sunday afternoon nap, and come to the Community House about 2:00PM. There is a lot of clean up required to get ready for preparing the Brunswick stew. We will put cardboard down on the floor and set up the kitchen for the week. Bring rubber/kitchen gloves and an apron. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and comfortable shoes. See Connie or Rusty Wallace for instruction. Time commitment 3-4 hours.

On Monday, October 24 we need a few hardy souls to come at 2:00AM (yes! That is 2:00 AM! ) to start cooking chickens. We need more folks beginning about 8:00AM to continue cooking, and to season and package the famous Mallard Creek Brunswick stew. Bring rubber/kitchen gloves, a hat or hairnet and an apron. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty (smelling like Brunswick stew) and comfortable shoes. See Connie or Rusty Wallace for instruction. Time commitment 3-4 hours.

On Tuesday, October 25 We need more folks beginning about 8:00AM to continue cooking, and to season and package the famous Mallard Creek Brunswick stew. Bring rubber/kitchen gloves, a hat or hairnet and an apron. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty (smelling like Brunswick stew) and comfortable shoes. See Connie or Rusty Wallace for instruction. Time commitment 3-4 hours.

On Wednesday, October 26, we need folks about 4:00-5:00PM to ready up the Community House. Flowers are needed for the tables. Bring coffee cans, etc. to use as vases. Help arrange flowers. See Bernice Martin about the flowers. Bring gloves and help set up the tables and chairs. Move cases of paper goods to the serving area. Clean serving areas, replace vinyl coverings, etc. Bring gloves. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and comfortable shoes. See Charles Kimrey or Bill Wood for instruction. Time commitment 1-3 hours.

Thursday, October 27 is our big day. Come and work for an hour. Come and work all day. Bring rubber/kitchen gloves, a hat or hairnet and an apron. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and comfortable shoes. There is a lot to do. You can find a job to do.
The folks preparing the Brunswick stew will get to the Community House about 5:00AM. (Even though our advertisements say serving begins at 10:00AM, you can be assured, we will have already served a lot of folks by then!) Talk to the following folks about the best times to arrive to work in their areas. Many folks are in place by 8:30-9:00AM. We stop about 9:00AM for a group photo and prayer (this is a church function!) And then really get down to business!

See Larry Oehler about making barbecue sandwiches; Darrell Thomas or Steve Brown about preparing take-out plates; Tommy Oehler or Scott Jones about assisting in the drive-through take-out line; Alice Oehler or Mike Oehler for the walk-up take-out line; Harry Kirk or James Killian about parking; Leigh Brown or Sharon Kimrey about assisting in the eat-in serving line; Kenneth Christenbury or Harvey Alexander about the cold drink/sandwich stand; Julie Mingus about cleaning tables for our eat-in guests; Sheila DeArmon about packaging Brunswick Stew and slaw, Vicki Buchanan about kitchen cleanup; see Jimmy Brown or Bobby Brown about keeping the facility clean. See James DeArmon or Craven Oehler if you have a question about how to deal with our political candidate guests.

If you can’t come during the day, come early to dinner, perhaps about 5:00PM and stay to help clean up. There are tables and chairs to take down and store. There are paper goods to consolidate and store. See Bill Wood for instruction.

If you want to help but don’t have a clue where you’re needed, call Bill Wood at 704-756-0943 or Charles Kimrey at 704-408-6722. The phone number at the Community House is 704-547-0323 during preparation and on the day of the Barbecue.
You do not have to come with a talent, other than the willingness to work. This is a wonderful opportunity for new members to work alongside more longtime members; for each to get to know the other. We work hard, but we also have a lot of fun. Please accept this invitation to get involved. You will be richly rewarded. We all will.

The BBQ – Celebrating Eighty! – 2009

Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church – Barbecue News – 1929-2009

The 80^th Annual Mallard Creek Barbecue is 60 days away! That is only 2 months!  Are you ready?

September is here and how many have already thought that it’s almost barbecue time! The days are getting cooler and the leaves are beginning to change color.  Fall is coming and so is our biggest event here at Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church.  The date this year seems early, Thursday, October 22. Remember, it is always the 4^th Thursday in October and this year the month starts on a Thursday. We have a lot to do in the next 2 months to get ready for the big day.  You will be seeing and hearing about the many opportunities that are available as we get started.  There will be wood to cut, cleaning up around the community house, cooking the meat and Brunswick stew plus a lot more.  Don’t wait to be asked – ask what you can do!

The Barbecue Committee hopes that you have enjoyed and learned from the monthly “Barbecue News” articles.  They have covered just about everything there is to know about the annual barbecue, from humble beginnings to where we are today, 80 years later.

Since it is September, there are several upcoming ways you can get started with your barbecue preparations.  The Barbecue Committee will have a booth at the “Day in The Park” on September 13 where you can sign up for any or all of the following.

There are so many “jobs” that have to be done around barbecue time that they are too numerous to mention here.  Over the next 2 months, there will more information coming out about when, where and what.  Check on those last few vacation days you saved and mark down when you will be able to help out. Contact any of the barbecue committee members about anything – we do not turn down volunteer help!

The 80^th Annual Mallard Creek Barbecue is coming.  Be sure you’re there!

Ann Christenbury Carroll – August 2009

While we do have some folks who migrate back to this line every year (including but not limited to Jean Stanford, Teresa Griffin, Sharon Kimrey, Ethel Ranson, Jackie and Esther if their health allows, Debbie Killian, Marlene Alexander Strong, Amber Kimrey, myself), we are always hoping to recruit other folks (men, you’re allowed to work alongside us if you like to chat!) to help serve and greet the guests.  Feel free to add a comment or send me an email if you’d like to volunteer on the serving line.  We love adding to our ranks (and we’re a very fun crew to work with).

See you on October 25th, 9a bright and early!

October is fast approaching, so we wanted to get the website up-and-running. Here you will find the latest news and information about the barbecue. So please come back often, to get the latest scoop!

We welcome your comments too, so be sure to write.