From Our Archives 10/12/1994

From Our Archives 10/12/1994

Dan & Reva’s Soupbean Dinner

Saturday, Oct. 8th was a beautiful, sunny autumn day, a day perfect for Dan and Reva May’s annual soup bean dinner. Reva said the day before, she had approximately 41 pounds of beans and had them ready to cook. Dan said he soaked the beans overnight and built a big fire under the old black iron kettle about 6:30 Saturday morning. He said he got the beans boiling really hard, then he sort of pulled the fire back from the kittle and let simmer. The dinner was scheduled to begin around 11am and folks came and went as the day wore on.

Most came with a dish of something good such as homemade beet pickles, cucumber pickles, mom’s apple dumpling dessert or a fresh homemade cake, cornbread and numerous other dishes. Ice cold drinks were provided. Reva said this event has been ongoing since the early 80’s. She wasn’t sure when the first one was held. Dan and Reva are wonderful people and such a pleasure to visit. She had a guestbook for everyone to sign and we counted approximately 150 people who had signed it. Of course several got by and didn’t sign so we figure they fed around 200. Charlie and I went and ate and had a good visit. We left around 3:30pm or 4 and other folks were still coming in. Thanks dan and Reva for a wonderful time.

..Oh yes, as people left Dan gave them an official membership certificate that read; Certificate of Punkin Center- Mt. Olive Company Makers. It stated each person who attended the dinner was an honorary co owner of the Punkin Center and Mt Olive Gas Company and was signed by Daniel Mays, CEO and President of said company.

- By Bonnie L Dunahoo