The History
of
Saint Alban's
Annual Ham Dinner
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On May 6th, 2003, Saint Alban's Episcopal Church celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its Annual Ham Dinner.  How did it all come about?  Strange you should ask.  Marilyn explains it all!!

"Once upon a time, shortly after air was invented, St. Albanites loved to put on fish dinners which included all sorts of good stuff such as FISH. 
Well, it seems that one year, as the story goes, when the workers arrived to work on the dinner, all was not sweet and fragrant in St. Alban-land - The Fish Had Spoiled!!!  Harsh words and colorful phrases were bandied about.  Angst ruled, hands were wrung, thinking caps were donned.

Then it came to pass that hams were brought forth and baked (by Sybil in the Home Economics kitchen at the high school) and carved (by Lyle) so as to be presented to the hungry hordes, thereby preventing a plague of food poisoning and thus saving the day.  Therefore, since tradition begins with whatever works at the time, the Ham Dinner began and now, 50 years later, it is a community happening and that is why we use capital letters.

All of this took place in the old church building.  The kitchen was in what is now the secretary's office which necessitated that the hand wringing be done very circumspectly so as to not to cause flailing about in the cole slaw or pickled beets."

Well, the pickled beets are gone, and so are the corn bread muffins, but those great hams from Tillamook Meat and all the other goodies prepared by Saint Albanites keep the crowds coming back year after year.  Thanks for helping us celebrate the 50th anniversary and thanks for joining us at Saint Alban's Annual Ham Dinner again this year and in the years ahead.
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