Sumner Newscow report — When November rolls around, it’s time to start thinking about the Corbin Turkey Supper. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, Nov. 2 for the annual Corbin Turkey Dinner held at the Corbin Methodist Church.

The dinner will be from 5 to 8 p.m. or until the food is gone. Call ahead at 620-863-2412 for carry outs before 4:30 p.m.

This year’s turkey supper will be something to see. There will be 500 pounds of turkey, 200 pounds of sweet potatoes, countless number of pies, dozens of rolls, mashed potatoes and cranberries. Plans for this meal have been in progress for over a month.

The Corbin Turkey supper got its roots in 1952 and it has been an annual tradition every since.

Originally the first turkey meal was served on Election Day 1952 in the south rooms of the Madison Hotel for those sitting on the Election Board and others in the community. There were three turkeys prepared.

Elaine (Evans) Clark recalls:

“Mother was instrumental in beginning the turkey suppers a few years earlier back when she was a fairly new bride.  She used to tell me about feeding the election board at the old “Ladies Aid” building and then offering the left-over plates to voters for 50 cents a plate.  The elections were only every other year, and people started asking for more plates.  Then they started asking for an “every year” turkey supper.  And a tradition was begun!  They used to use some of Mother’s recipes, but I don’t know if they still do or not.”

This meal didn’t make much money for the group, so the next year, the event was held in the Corbin Church Annex and was chaired by Josie Sturm.  Edna Johnson had a recipe the women used for dressing. That year there was a larger crowd than expected for the evening meal and the women ran out of turkey.   A quick trip to Whit’s Store brought back the needed item to finish the meal – hot dogs!!

In 1961, the menu was turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pickles, carrot salad, cranberries, green beans, rolls, butter and jelly, pie and coffee. Only 60 could be served at a time in the Annex but that evening 320 were served.  In 1965, there was not a supper held because of the move to the new Educational Building from the Church Annex.  But in 1966, the Turkey Supper was bigger than ever.  It was served in the new building with the help of 50+ women of the community.  There were 295 pounds of turkey prepared, 105 pounds of potatoes, 72 pies, 70 dozen rolls and a new addition to the menu that year was Sweet Potatoes.  Irene Youree had the recipe that made sweet potatoes melt in the mouth.

In the 70’s, the young girls of the community helped serve at the tables.  Tables were set up in the Parlor to seat more people.   Olive Smith provided a salad recipe that was used for many years and was so popular it was named the “turkey supper salad.”  That recipe became too expensive to serve so was taken out of the menu  years later.

After the new sanctuary was added in 1976, it was used for seating those waiting to eat.  The men of the community were put to work as hosts and ushers.   The Corbin-Caldwell UMC Youth began serving sometime in the 1980’s.

In 1996. there were 400 pounds of turkey prepared and the largest crowd was served in 2015.   

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