East Barnard
“It’s always a good meal and it’s always the same meal,” said Marilyn Syme, the coordinator for the dinner, which is a fundraiser for the East Barnard Community Club. “Hopefully that’s why people keep coming back, because it’s their favorite community dinner.”
This year’s supper — which includes mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, maple-glazed carrots, green salad “with Mary’s famous maple dressing,” and apple crisp with vanilla ice cream — takes place Saturday, from 5-7 p.m., at the East Barnard Community Hall. Dinner tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children under 12 and $3 for preschoolers.
Food for the meal comes from area farmers and businesses. “Some of them we purchase some things from, but a lot of the farmers — in fact, most of them — donate their things, which is a nice help,” Syme said. “We wanted it to be totally community while encompassing all the businesses and farms around us.”
Prior to the meal, diners can preview items made by area crafters; afterward, they can listen to local musicians perform. Last year, about 200 people attended the supper. “It’s more attended every year,” Syme said. “We always encourage everyone to tell their friends about it. The word just spreads.”
Proceeds from the meal benefit the continued revitalization of the hall, free Wi-Fi that community members can use and other community programs.
“If a community member has some kind of problem, we try to help them out financially,” Syme said. “We try to maintain the building for community use.” Those purposes include weddings, family reunions and funerals.
The East Barnard Community Club started in 1930 as a women’s club, Syme wrote in a follow-up email. In 2011, men were permitted to join.
Syme is hopeful that its work will continue as new families move into the area.
“They’re very community-minded,” Syme said. “We’re very excited to think it will be carried on.”
Syme and her husband moved to their Pomfret home, near East Barnard, about 30 years ago.
“The East Barnard community reached out to us, made sure the first winter we didn’t freeze to death,” Syme recalled. “They’re such welcoming people, we call it our community too.”
Editor’s note: The East Barnard Community Hall is located at 1 E. Barnard Road. For more information, call Syme at 802-763-7777, email marilynsyme7@gmail.com, or visit http://ebvtcc.wixsite.com/ebvtcc. Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
