1/11/07

Habitat luncheon a huge success; another planned in ‘07
By Cathy Gilbert

BRIAN JARVIS/Manning Times
Marie Land (right) presents a plaque to be hung in the Manning United Methodist Church kitchen, in memory of Earnie Chapman. Accepting on behalf of the church are Sharon Cramer and Shea Failmezger.

It’s not often that you can feed more than 250 people, sell every bite of food available, raise money for a good cause and hear a terrific speaker … all at the same time.

But that’s precisely what Clarendon Habitat for Humanity did last week and so successful was the venture, that chair Marie Land is already planning another for this calendar year.

“We did not have a luncheon in 2006 and I am really hoping we can do another one this year,” Land said. “When we lost our kitchen leader in Earnie Chapman, in late 2005, we were a bit adrift on how to retool our luncheon event. God sent us Shea Failmezger, who Earnie had really handpicked before her death to take over the reins. Shea did such a fabulous job … it could not have gone smoother.”

Failmezger and her wonderful crew of volunteers prepared a delicious lunch of roasted pork, sugar snap peas, brown rice and a creamy corn chowder. The pretzel-Jell-o salad was another big hit, with its slightly offbeat combination of ingredients, according to Land.

“We offered plates to go for $6 and the wives lined up to get their husband’s suppers and get a night off from cooking for themselves,” she said. “We sold every bite of food we had left.”

No sooner had Marie Land returned home after last Thursday’s luncheon, did she hear about two low country brothers who are gaining culinary fame across the country.

One quick phone call later and it was a done deal … The Lee Brothers will be coming to town, hopefully in late September.

Matt and Ted Lee grew up in Charleston. When they left to attend colleges in the Northeast, they so missed the foods of their hometown that they founded The Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts Catalogue, a mail-order catalogue for southern pantry staples like stone-ground grits, fig preserves and, of course, boiled peanuts. When an editor of a travel magazine asked them to write a story about road-tripping their home state in search of great food, they embarked on a second career as food and travel journalists. They currently write food stories for Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, GQ, The New York Times Dining Section, Sunday Magazine and Book Review sections, and are the wine columnists for Martha Stewart Living.

They are self-proclaimed “butter bean” experts and if all goes as Land has planned, will be gracing our county at the height of our butter bean season!

Highlights of last Thursday’s luncheon included a $2,000 donation to the local affiliate by The Puddin’ Swamp Singers and a special presentation in memory of Earnie Chapman. And of course, not to be overlooked was the delightful speaker, Ann Ipock, who regaled the audience with the tales of her quirky life, leaving many in the audience, especially women, nodding their heads in agreement with the humorous circumstances Ipock has often found herself in.

The next big fund raiser for Clarendon Habitat for Humanity will be the Silent Auction at the Junior Chamber’s February 24 Oyster Roast. You won’t want to miss it!!!