Most fairs have their stock and trade in cattle, sheep, and even goats. Young people show off their hard work in competition, animals are bought and sold, the groundwork for the future in these fields secured through the work of young people and support and guidance by adults.
Farmers take strong pride in the historic quality of cattle dating back centuries in the region.
All that said, the Potomac Highlands remains one of the most vital raising and production areas for the poultry industry. The West Virginia Poultry Association and Pilgrims Fresh Plant’s community service organization come together at each fair to dish out some choice chicken and raise funds for their causes.
Ward Malcolm, president of the West Virginia Poultry Association, promoted the shack during different events during Poultry Week last month. “This is a big fundraiser for the Poultry Association,” he explained, adding that it helps to put money into annual scholarships handed out by the WVPA.
“Pilgrims and the WVPA run the booth and split the proceeds,” he explained, adding “we’re glad Pilgrims is here. They do a lot for us.”
Pam Weese, who also represented Pilgrims at Youth Day during Poultry Week, donned food service gear and jumped behind the counter last Friday. That night, they came from the Pilgrims Fresh CCP team, the WVPA, Pendleton Community Bank, and Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
She shared that the tradition of the Chicken Shack “goes way back before my time.”
Those who come to help are also prepared to work, as the pace ranges between busy and busiest. Matt Nelson, also volunteering in the kitchen, said that it picks up “especially during the evenings and before and after an event. Parade day is always a really busy day.”
Pilgrims uses funds raised from this and other events to fund a number of programs. As Weese noted, these include scholarships, support for schools, senior centers, and other community service agencies and projects.
One recent Pilgrims donation replaced banks of broken lockers in the middle school section of Pendleton County Middle/High School.
Support from Pilgrims extends across the five counties of the Potomac Highlands region, all areas that raise large numbers of birds for the company. Weese called the support “a great way to give back.”
Of course, the immediate benefit comes in the form of delicious and freshly prepared chicken. As Nelson stated, “we want to give people an economy meal at the fair, to keep prices down for families as much as possible.”
