Pies and Patriots lend support to veterans

Mark DeLap
Posted 11/23/21

Pie contest at Impact Church

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Pies and Patriots lend support to veterans

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WHEATLAND – It was a day that Impact Church’s pastor Jeremy Haroldson said was for honoring veterans, eating really good pie, and spending time together as a family.

It was a pie contest, but a contest unlike any that you may have witnessed. Those who tasted pies could comment and oooh and ahhh as they tasted them, but in addition there was a set of exact duplicate pies that were being sold at a silent auction with all proceeds going to the VFW and American Legion.

“So today, one of the cool parts is that all of our judges are veterans,” Haroldson said. “We wanted every conflict we could, but Rob Birkle told me that the WWII vets couldn’t eat that much sugar, so we want to be honoring all our vets.”

Each contestant had to bake two pies. One to be eaten by the judges who were all veterans and guests. The second pie was for the silent auction.

The pies were judged according to some of the following points: the attractiveness of the slice, the aroma, flakiness of the crust, tenderness of the crust, is the pie properly cooked, the flavor of the pie, is it properly sweet or savory depending on which category it is, properly thick.

The program was opened in prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, the national anthem was sung followed by the dismissal of the judges to the judging room. The guests would then be able to sample all or some of the pies on the foyer tables.

As the judges came forth out of their judging room, they looked full and satisfied and they had voted on all the pies. Veteran Bill Bennett walked in and promptly said, “Don’t ever let any of us do that again. It was dangerous.”

When the dust cleared, Diane Mitchell had won first place and the best overall award for her sweet apple pie.

“For the last couple of years we’ve done a pie contest at Impact,” Haroldson said. “This year we decided to spin it into pies and patriots honoring our veterans, and honoring them not just in voice, but in reality as well. After the pie contest we will be hosting a tribute to honor all of our veterans with music and quotes.”

Haroldson said it was something that the church decided to do just to honor the local veterans.