Country fixin’s: Dinner, store, community feeling make for a good time

By Omie Drawhorn

Judy Yarnell has been decorating the Sublimity Middle School gym for the St. Boniface annual Chicken Dinner and Country Store for the past six years.

This year’s Oct. 9 dinner will once again benefit St. Boniface Catholic Church in Sublimity. There will be chicken served up from an outside grill, and a gym set up as the Country Store and bazaar featuring crafters, businesses, and an array of produce, wines, jams, jellies and baked goods donated mostly by parishioners wanting to help raise money for the church.

Dolores Morris, coordinator of the Country Store, said around 1,100 people browsed and bought $600-700 worth of goods last year to benefit St. Boniface.

Although Yarnell, a landscape designer and the owner of Yarnell’s Nursery in Stayton, is not a member of the church, she spends hours lending a hand as well as donating plant material for the Country Store to sell.

“It’s a very festive, fall atmosphere, which I love,” Yarnell said. “I love helping the church and the community spirit that goes along with it; everyone is working together.”

Yarnell makes sure the inside and outside of school is a beautiful environment for attendees.

“We decorate with fall containers of plant material on the outside of the doors and in planters,” she said. “Everyone helps in their way. The church is amazing, I love watching everyone in the church working together, even with the times the way they are. It’s enlightening to see the community work together and pull together; we love working together.”

Phyllis Posekany participates in five craft shows each year. This is her second year at the St. Boniface bazaar.

“This is the first one of the season,” said the Marian Estates resident. She sells products under the name Creations by Phyl, mostly fabric items that make people feel better, like hot or cold therapy wraps, shoulder wraps, comfort pillows, laminated fabric pins, and microwave potato baker bags.
She said she loves the way the bazaar brings people together.

“There is a wonderful atmosphere there and the lunch is out of this world,” Posekany said. “Everyone is friendly and it’s always interesting to visit with people and sample the local flavor.

“I love helping people and making people feel better,” she said. “Having people be happy with my wares is any crafter’s joy.”

Beth Bonesteele, owner of Country Classics in Stayton, has participated in the bazaar since 1996. She sells candles, baby items, blankets and quilts.

“It’s a great event to be part of, attendance depends a lot on the weather,” she said, adding it’s a great opportunity to advertise her business and reach a new group of people.

Other participants include Princess House, Pampered Chef, and Brigittine Monks fudge. Wares include towels, jewelry, blankets, baskets, bead work, fine wood working pieces, crocheted work, pots, pans and hats.

There’s barbecued chicken, chicken and noodles, a baked potato, green beans, coleslaw, a roll, pie or cake, juice and coffee. The Sublimity Quilters drawing is held in conjunction with the dinner. There are children’s games and the St. Boniface Archives and Museum holds its annual open house during the dinner as well.