By Karen Hall

Editor

The holiday season got off to a great start Friday, Nov. 15, as Chapel Hill Elementary School held its 51st Annual Turkey Supper.

"It's a school project," said Principal Dean Delk. "We have good healthy community involvement. We've got folks who have been coming for 50 years."

Rex Messick of Rex's Foodland donated 134 turkey breasts, and these were cooked by CHES personnel, while cafeteria staff prepared the rest of the meal. Messick donates the turkeys every year.

"It's just amazing," said Delk. "He's a real supporter."

CHES faculty and staff organize the event, and do all the work. Fifth grade Beta Club members helped in every way they could, clearing tables, serving pies and drinks -- doing whatever they were asked to do to help out.

"They really help us," said Delk, praising the polite and hospitable students.

More than 1,100 tickets were sold, making this the biggest Turkey Supper ever, but at press time the accounts had not been finalized, so Delk could not say how much money had been raised. He estimated it would be $9,000 or $10,000, mostly from the Silent Auction.

In the big CHES room that serves as a combined cafeteria, gym, and assembly hall, the divider had been pulled across the middle and half the room was given over to silent auction items, displayed on the wall, stage, and at least 10 crowded tables.

"I have never seen so much stuff in all my life," exclaimed one woman as she studied the items, deciding what to bid on.

The proceeds from the Turkey Supper are all spent at the school -- on the children, on the teachers, and on educational supplies, Delk said.

When the Turkey Supper started in 1962, Earl Barnes was the principal of the only school in Chapel Hill -- Forrest, a K through 12 school -- and the event was held there.

"At one time, it was our life's blood," said Delk, referring to the funds raised by the Turkey Supper. When CHES was built in 1986, with Delk as its first principal, the event moved there.

The Turkey Supper is not just for people from Chapel Hill. In the crowd were school board members, county commissioners, the director of schools, the county mayor, the register of deeds, and the juvenile and general sessions court judge, to name just a few. Even State Sen. Jim Tracy stopped in for a while.

Starting at 4:30 p.m., the event was over soon after 9 p.m. Delk escorted the last person to her car, made one final check around the building, and locked up his school for the night, happy that his students and staff had pulled off yet another successful Turkey Supper.