Bob and Effie Bachand arrived at the Enfield Community Building at 6:30 a.m. last Thursday to cook 50 pounds of roast beef that would be the centerpiece of the monthly senior meal. Then, they turned their sights to the 50 pounds of potatoes.
It was all just part of a routine for the couple, who have been cooking meals nearly monthly for seniors in Enfield for more than a decade. The end of the meal was hardly routine.
The Bachands were quite busy as they ended their stint preparing the senior meals, serving nearly 100 people who gathered to celebrate Christmas and the Bachands’ longtime contribution.
“I never gave it a thought,” Effie told me about their years of service. “It was a pleasure. It was giving to our community.”
The Bachands said they’ve been cooking for 12-14 years — they’re not sure of the exact month, or year, they started. But they do recall members of the association asking if they’d be willing to take it on, and they readily agreed.
“We’re older in the kitchen than a lot of the people out here,” Effie said with a laugh.
Effie is 86 and Bob is 87. They retired more than 26 years ago. Effie worked as a nurse and Bob worked at Timken. Throughout retirement, the couple did quite a bit of traveling and became even more involved in their community.
“Honey, we’ve been married for 64 years, and we’ve always shared responsibilities,” Effie told me when I asked how they divided up the meal tasks.
Bob nodded.
Effie continued: “There wasn’t any one thing that was his responsibility or mine.”
After the meal has been cooked and served, the couple make sure to visit with the attendees, asking about their health and their families. It’s all part of the experience, which make it tough for them to nail down a favorite part when asked.
“The whole thing,” Bob told me. “Visiting with people, seeing a lot of people you don’t see. It keeps me from getting old.”
To prepare for the meal, they start out by perusing area grocery stores for what’s on sale.
“It can take us two to three hours just to shop,” Effie said. “I never tell anyone what they’re getting.”
Attendees can expect some mainstays. November’s meal is always roast pork, and December’s meal (which I was invited to attend) is always roast beef. Spaghetti and meatballs tend to show up once a year, as do stuffed shells (with homemade sauce, of course). August is their month off: That’s when the Enfield Police Department hosts a barbecue.
The first course is salad and rolls, followed by an entree — Thursday’s was the aforementioned roast beef, mashed potatoes (topped with gravy) and green beans — and then dessert. Punch, coffee and water are also served.
“We want to do something that, if you’re living by yourself, you wouldn’t cook it,” Effie told me. “We couldn’t do it without the help of the people who volunteer their time.”
Shortly after the community building was completed, the Enfield Senior Association was formed by Ken Hill, Eileen Reed, Karen Malz, Evelyn Palmer, Bruce and Peggy Davis, Marilyn Avery, Dave Carr, and Don and Leafie Cantlin to provide meals to seniors in Enfield and surrounding communities on the third Thursday of each month. The group relies on donations from meal attendees and area organizations, such as the Enfield Mascoma Lions Club. Area businesses also contribute to the fund.
While the meal is free for seniors, most make a voluntary donation at the door.
Enfield residents John McVicar and Carr will be taking over planning the meals. A rotating group of volunteers will cook and serve each month. The food for each meal usually costs $250-$300.
While the Bachands enjoy cooking, they said they’d never cooked for a crowd that large before they took on the senior meal. But they learned as they went, adjusting recipes and learning where to go for the best deals.
“All of it is by guess and, golly,” Effie Bachand said, “I always plan for 60 or 80 people.”
Malz, of Enfield, started has been with the Bachands since the beginning and continues to volunteer as a greeter.
“I like the pork. That’s one of my favorites they do,” she said. “I just like seeing people come and seeing how they look forward to it.”
On Thursday, the Enfield-Mascoma Lioness Club had decorated the community building and made dessert. As Bob and Effie sat down to eat the fruits of their labor, attendees stopped by to give them hugs and wish them well. They were presented with a cake, a poinsettia and dozens of cards.
“I have reconnected with old friends and made many new friends,” Effie said. “We’re going to miss people, but we’ll still be here once in a while.”
Editor’s note: To volunteer, call Dave Carr at 603-443-2301 or John McVicar at 603-632-5095.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
