Volunteers Make Ready For Spaghetti

Tradition Anchors Annual Tontitown Dinners

Last updated Saturday, July 19, 2008 6:11 PM CDT in Living

By Debbie Miller
The Morning News

A group of young men operate the mixing equipment in the kitchen.

The boys have been coming here to help make spaghetti "since they were this big," Beckford said, extending his arm to mid-chest range.

From the kitchen, the dough goes to the tables for dividing and kneading before it's placed in a roller. From the roller, the dough goes to a cutter where "catchers" pull off the strings of spaghetti and hang it on the racks.

Each year, volunteers hold four workdays to make the pasta for the dinners and for sale in boxes at the church bazaar.

There's a shared sense of purpose and community in this tradition.

Jettie Franco said she's been helping with the pasta making for "forever" or at least four decades or so.

"This is about the only time you get to visit with people in the parish," she said. People are always so busy, she said.

Neither Franco nor Beckford would claim making pasta's as easy as pie.

"It's work," Franco said, "but it's a lot of fun."

Beckford noted it requires people to be on their feet for hours.

"There's not a lot of chances to sit around," he said. As chairman, he makes certain rubber mats are in place to cushion the floor on which the volunteers stand.

The labor began at 7:15 a.m. on Thursday, and the crew of about 35 hoped to finish their task by 2 p.m.

Being part of a community tradition overrides thoughts about being on one's feet or devoting a few hours to the cause.

Beckford noted that some college students had come home to the parish hall on Thursday.

"They could be anywhere, and they're back here making spaghetti," he said.

A couple of junior high school students - Karli Pianalto, 14, and her friend, Lindsey Parker - took their turn standing at the cutting machine.

Karli likes being part of the process. Even she's amazed at what's accomplished.

"I can't believe we make as much as we do," she said.

Cheyenne Bright, 11, was also among some of the younger volunteers. She came with her grandmother, Joan Mussino. She's been attending since she was 8. She has a simple answer to why she likes to be there: "It's fun."

Proceeds from the dinners go to the church. The meal cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Beckford said 2,600 to 2,800 meals are expected to be served each night Aug. 7, 8 and 9.

He said people shouldn't be discouraged by the sight of a line.

Even if the line is wrapped from the parish hall door to the street, "it doesn't take long," he said.

Comfort Zone is an occasional feature that focuses on unique aspects of life in Northwest Arkansas.

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