By Betty Gandee

Throughout the month of April, several groups of high school students and teachers traveled to Williams River to dig ramps for the 50th annual H.E. White Ramp Dinner.

With the help of these students and groups of community members, they dug the close to 3,000 pounds of ramps.  It takes around the full 3,000 pounds of ramps, along with large amounts of beans, corn, ham, green beans, and desserts, to pull off this humongous dinner. In addition to the large amount of food prepared, donated desserts and homemade sassafras tea were served as well.

With the digging comes the tedious job of cleaning and blanching all these ramps. Several people spent countless hours at the school to get the ramps processed for the big day.  These amazing people would come out every evening to help with this task. While cleaning ramps you will hear the laughter of children playing in the background while you catch up and reminisce about things years ago. Shirly Faulkner has been helping with this dinner since her daughter attended this school 45 years ago.  She now has great grandchildren that attend and puts in an astonishing number of hours volunteering at the school.

Lynn Jones Taylor says she had a flashback from the “good ole days” while helping, and says it’s always a good time when you can work together to accomplish great things for the kids and community.  That is what the PTO and community members stress, this event is all to benefit the students and fund free activities for them throughout the school year.

This community always pulls together for the good of the students and definitely done an amazing job making the 50th annual Ramp Dinner a huge success.  PTO President Audrea Gould says all the hard work put in is greatly appreciated, and that without the help of the community and businesses in the area, this event would be nonexistent.