NEW CASTLE — Bill Edwards was crowned the 2008 Bean King at the Grand Army of the Republic Bean Dinner, held Sunday at McElwee Park in New Castle. The regal election committee meets in secret and will not divulge its selection process; the only admitted criterion for the position of Bean King or Bean Queen is the ability to do the “royal wave.” 2007 Bean King Walter Doughty said he was reluctant to give up the symbols of office, but did participate in the coronation ceremony.
Donations received at the GAR Dinner help support McElwee Park, which was bequeathed to the New Castle area community with the provision that an annual Civil War remembrance and bean dinner be held; Sunday’s feast was the township’s 141st GAR Dinner. The event also helped mark New Castle’s 200th anniversary.
Along with the food, fun and games, the event really does commemorative veterans. John Sheck, along with Fred Main, was at the park in his role as a Civil War re-enactor. He said it was appropriate for representatives of the General Banning Camp Sons of Union Veterans to be at the event, which commemorates the 1867 encampment of the Charles C. Nichols Post 394. The gathering at that time included war widows and orphans.
Today, the dinner, part community get-together and part homecoming, is a multi-generational affair, according to event coordinator Karen Allen Locke. For example, her great-great grandfather, Elias Allen, was one of the members of the 394th company. She said she has been helping with the dinner for at least 18 years, and her father, James D. Allen Jr., served on the park committee for at least 40 before that. Many parents and their children, such as bean tenders Chuck Johnson and son Brian Johnson, come back to the GAR dinner every year, and the entire community helps provide the food.
Seventy-something F. Marlene Martin Riley said she returns regularly to the park for the beans, of course, but also for the fellowship.
“You just get to see home people,” she said. “It’s also been very enjoyable to meet old schoolmates and friends. I enjoy the Rube Band and like being out in this country setting.”
Tina Fletcher, 12, thought the bean dinner and activities were “pretty neat.” She especially liked the music provided by Chestnut Ridge Gospel Bluegrass group and the Walhonding Rube Band.
Chestnut Ridge performed several gospel praise and prayer songs to let the audience know, “God won’t take you to it unless he’ll take you through it.”
The Walhonding Rube Band, in existence since 1914, played an eclectic mix of toe-tapping melodies, ranging from Disney’s Mickey Mouse theme to patriotic music to “Hang on Sloopy.” As band member and event coordinator Locke said, “We might not be the greatest band, but we have fun and it sure is cheap therapy.”
A morning community church service was hosted by New Castle Ministries, and Boy Scouts from Howard, Troop 344, did the flag-raising honors. This year, more than 300 individuals helped eat the 70 pounds of soup beans that are cooked over an open fire, and cornbread provided by the Walhonding Valley grange. Many of the pies were donated by local residents, as were the other full menu items; all of the servers were community volunteers.
