HOPE MILLS – You already can smell the aroma of the savory country ham permeating in anticipation of what has become a rite of autumn in this little laid-back community east of Fayetteville.
“It’s hard to believe a community comes together to put this together.” Ronnie Luck said just a couple of years back after polishing off a plate of the country ham, fried chicken, collards, green beans, steamed cabbage, and one of the many desserts.
But these country cooks have been showing off their culinary skills since 1973, and Mable Hurley, Karen Graham, Coralisa Matthews and Catherine Bass will be among the ladies doing it again Thursday at the 54th Annual Gray’s Creek Woman’s Club Buffet and Bazaar scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Gray’s Creek Community Building, 3024 School Road in Hope Mills.
“The bazaar was first held in 1970, and the buffet was added in 1973,” says Joy Cannady, the club president. “It has been an annual ‘community family reunion’ since then, with visiting being even more important than the good food.”
It’s something of a who’s who of folks from Gray’s Creek, Hope Mills, Massey Hill, Eastover, Godwin, Wade, Fayetteville, and as far away as Spring Lake, where everybody from throughout Cumberland County seems to know one another by first name.
And it’s never more inundated with folks with an appetite for the chicken ‘n’ pastry, crispy fried chicken, country ham, potato salad, green beans, butter beans and sweet potatoes than political election season.
Political candidates anticipated
“Huge crowds are expected since this is an election year,” Cannady says. “The buffet and bazaar is a wonderful function to meet local politicians and listen to their views. Early voting is also taking place at the adjacent Gray’s Creek Rec Center the same day as the buffet.”
You’ll likely see political candidates for the N.C. Senate to include incumbent Sen. Val Applewhite and challengers Semone Pemberton and Steven Swinton in the District 19 race and Sen. Tom McInnis and his challenger Maurice “Butch” Holland Jr. in the District 21 race. You might see Mike Colvin, and Leonard Bryant, who are bidding for the N.C. House District 42 seat; incumbent Rep. Diane Wheatley and challenger Janene Ackles in the N.C. House District 43 race; and incumbent Rep. Charles Smith and challenger Freddie de la Cruz in the N.C. House District 44 competition.
Look for former N.C. Senator Kirk deViere bidding for one of three seats in the Cumberland Board of County Commissioners race, along with incumbent Tony Stewart and challengers Henry Tyson, Peter Pappas, Pavan Patel and Karla Icaza.
You may see any of the 15 candidates running for six of nine seats up for grabs for the Cumberland County Board of Education, which includes District 1 incumbent Alicia Jones Chisolm and challengers Kathi Gibson and Mary Hales; District 2 incumbent Deanna Turner Jones and challenger John Lee; District 3 competitors Delores Bell, Tom Hatch and Bryan Moore; District 4 incumbent Donna Blackmon Vann and challengers Rebecca Pedigo and former Hope Mills mayor Jackie Warner; District 5 incumbent Susan Williams and challenger Tracy Pelt; and District 6 incumbent Nathan Warfel and challenger Terra B. Jordan.
“I’ve issued special invitations to Diane Wheatley and John Szoka, the former politician, since they were the two that pushed through our state grant two years ago used for remodeling the building,” Cannady says about the N.C. House members who, along with former N.C. Rep. Billy Richardson, Rep. Marvin Lucas, former Sen. Ben Clark, and deViere brought more than $402 million from the 2022 state budget to Cumberland County, including $100,000 to the Gray’s Creek Woman’s Club.
If there was a race for dog catcher, the candidates likely would be out campaigning Thursday at the buffet and bazaar.
In the kitchen
Enough about the politicking.
Back to the best part of what’s unfolding Thursday down at what longtime Gray’s Creek resident Dennis Walters likes to affectionately refer to as “the branch.”
Coralisa Matthews is frying the chicken. Catherine Bass, with help from Ted Lambert, is doing the chicken n’ pastry. Mable Hurley and Karen Graham are cooking the cabbage, and Graham also is responsible for the jams and jellies, and she has a hand in the pound cakes along with Linda Parnell and Mike Dew. Parnell and Bass are conjuring up the cornbread. Helen Brockett is preparing the pear butter. And all of the ladies are working hard ensuring there will be plenty of potato salad and deviled eggs. Cannady is preparing the pecan pies.
What it all adds up to is a smorgasbord of country cooking, and more.
“The club is raffling off a beautiful queen-size quilt that funds scholarships to local Gray’s Creek High School seniors and area students,” Cannady says. “New this year is a 50/50 contest with the club’s 50% going to the people of western North Carolina,” who are recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Helene. “The craft room is filled with cakes, pies, candy, breads, jams, and jellies, as well as different crafts, and all handmade.”
Epilogue
So, there you have it.
The tables are being set for Thursday.
Plates are $15, Cannady says, and you can dine in or there is takeout. Order 10 takeout plates and the club will deliver them at no charge. It’s $20 for the quilt raffle and the 50-50 ticket is just a buck.
“Please come,” Joy Cannady invites all. “Bring your family and friends and enjoy a wonderful fall day in Gray’s Creek.”
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
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