By Eileen Brown
News-Times columnist
A bit of frost in the air meant there was no time to stop outdoors and chat. For everyone who stepped beyond the doors of the Elks Lodge, however, the hot ovens and cordial smiles of volunteer greeters provided all the warmth one could ask for Thursday. The spirit of Oak Harbor’s Community Harvest Celebration had returned.
As visiting diners entered the Elks Lodge, the first room to the left was full of volunteers filling white styrofoam boxes with a spoonful of this and that. Members of the Whidbey Cruzers stood by, anxious to deliver more than 350 meals to those who had to stay home.
Out in the main dining room, Jack Stiltz surveyed the scene, and he no doubt remembered good times with his friend, the late Keith Bartlett. The two introduced the idea of a Community Harvest Celebration six years ago.
K.C. Pohtilla was co-chair with Stiltz, but you won’t get either one to take credit for the countless hours of planning and doing.
“It has been the biggest turnout ever,” said Stiltz a little after 3 p.m. He had been on his feet since 5:30 that morning, when he and Francis Bagarella turned on the ovens.
“In all, there were 48 smoked turkeys, 150 regular turkeys and 15 cases of ham, four to a case,” said Bagarella, a man who knows his way around a kitchen.
Where does he get his stamina?
“You feed off the energy of the room,” he laughed.
Bagarella, the Command Master Chief at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station no doubt recognized many a face in the crowd that filled the dining area.
At each table there were enclaves of people who knew each other and others sitting down for a meal together for the first time. A group of neighbors, friends and helpers sat together at the Scenic Heights/Walker Avenue table. Forever young Mildred Dempsey was there with her son Russ. And the lovely Laraine Schlatter held court with Penn Cove Park friends Dick and Stella Tyler, Ginny Kantor and Joan and Joe Hoing.
Even Oak Harbor Mayor-elect Jim Slowik, and his opponent Paul Brewer, attended.
Andrew Cowan, a 20-year-old man who gets around handily in his wheelchair, has lived here for six years and just happened to come on the sixth anniversary of Community Harvest. His day would have been spent alone at home if he hadn’t heard about the event.
It was Bill and Dottie Jordan’s fourth time to attend the community feast and they announced it keeps getting better.
White cloth napkins and tablecloths, place settings and flowers set a perfect mood for guests to relax and enjoy their meal. Yet all around, children behaved and the place never felt crowded or noisy.
Kids, fascinated by the colorful clown makeup and costumes, couldn’t take their eyes off “Sparkles” and “I.B. Andy” (Debbie and Myron Brundage) and Wayne Locke’s “Just Wally.”
Vicki Fisher was one of the many friendly volunteers who helped dish up the meal and kept everyone happy with drinks and dessert.
“I always told myself I was going to do this, and I just decided this was the year. Besides, my people are all in Oregon,” she said as she laid out clean place settings.
Retired Navyman Kevin Whittinger and his wife Marsha were there with their children, Evin, 6, and Baelee, 8. Kevin’s sister Keri Wittinger came from Edmonds.
“I think everybody should shut down their kitchens on Thanksgiving and come here instead,” Keri suggested.
After they enjoyed their own dinner, Kevin announced, “Now we are going to work.” It was their turn to serve others as they had been served. The children loved the idea.
“It’s good to start the holiday season with a bit of giving,” he said.
