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Around South County: Thousands of Easter eggs waiting for you in Shady Side

  • March 28, 2010 11:21 pm
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Thousands of eggs have been rolled, dipped and decorated – 3,420 eggs in all.

The tradition of these eggs goes back over 30 years to the Kitchen family of Shady Side.

Each quarter-pound egg follows the Kitchen family recipe used by women who were members of the local Order of the Eastern Star, a fraternal organization whose members were typically wives or daughters of Freemasons.

Back then, the eggs were made in members’ homes. when the Eastern Star faded in prominence as a group, they handed the job over to the Shady Side Kiwanis Club. the Kiwanis members were mostly from Centenary Church, and as a result, about 10 years ago, the church took over the egg-making task.

Their main chocolate mixologist is Dennis Kitchen, descendant of the original holder of the recipe. He is the co-coordinator of the egg-making operation, along with Camille Vogt.

The eggs come in four flavors, chocolate, peanut butter, buttercream and coconut. They’re available at the church or at sites around Shady Side, including Renno’s Market and Shady Side Market.

“We’re usually sold out by Palm Sunday,” Camille said.

The egg-making takes four days – a day to make the eggs, a day to dip them in chocolate, one to decorate and hand trim, and a day to wrap. each day’s work requires about a dozen volunteers. Camille guessed that it took upwards of 40 people to turn out this year’s batch.

Last Thursday, the group wrapped the last of the eggs, and neatly stacked them in boxes in a meeting room at the church.

The eggs sell for $2 each. for information on buying eggs, call Camille at 410-867-9567. the eggs will be for sale until they are sold out.

Also in Shady Side this past weekend, the scholarship committee of the South County Deale Moose Lodge held one of four annual children’s ceramics parties.

Fran Prout, Fran Bergman and Fern Wools had ceramics, paints and brushes on hand so that area children could come and create a one-of-a-kind piece to take home.

Fran, Fran and Fern, along with some other helpers, set out ceramic bunnies, chicks, and churches for just $5 for the boys and girls to paint.

Pat Tierman was in charge of handing out brushes and pouring the paint colors selected by the children.

At each event, the group raised about $200 for the scholarship fund.

Jim Prout is a founding member of the scholarship committee. He said that the fund pays for a scholarship for a student from Southern High School. Unlike other scholarships, the Moose fund pays the student for four years. the total amount is $6,000, paid in semester installments.

“As long as the student keeps their grades up, they get a check each semester,” Jim said.

Jim’s brother John Prout was also on hand, and also a member of the committee.

“My mom and aunt have been doing ceramics for years, and I did it when I was little. It’s fun,” he said.

The committee has been hosting the ceramic parties as a fundraiser for four years. it started after a July 4th parade, when the men setout a tip jar while they were grilling.

They collected about $9 in the jar, and when they handed it over to the lodge accountant, they somewhat jokingly told him that it was the seed money for a scholarship fund.

“We figured, hey, we’re a nonprofit in the community, why don’t we start helping the high school students in our area?” John said.

And the kids who are the recipients couldn’t make these two any prouder. Both beam when they talk about the students, both girls, who now come to the lodge for events like the July 4th parade.

“Last year when our student from Johns Hopkins came down, she collected over $200 in the tip jar,” John said.

He added that it makes a big difference to people when they know that they are helping out a young person.

Aside from the ceramics parties, the group hosts raffles and other events throughout the year to enhance the fund. They’re hoping to be able to have more than two students being funded at the same time.

It doesn’t hurt that the kids love it too.

Faith Prout, 8, was carefully painting a cat, one of the ceramic pieces left over from the Halloween ceramic party. She was painting it black with green stripes. “It reminds me of my grandma’s cat, who has black stripes,” she said.

She likes to come to the events because “it’s fun for the painting and for friends.”

The next ceramics event will happen probably during the summer. Check the lodge Web site at southcounty moose.org.

The Davidsonville Athletic Association’s annual bull roast fundraiser will be at 7 p.m. Saturday in the new Social Hall at Holy Family Catholic Church. Dinner will be catered by the Original Steakhouse. There will be wine/beer and dancing. Funds raised benefit the area’s sports programs. Tickets are $50 each.

The South County Concert Association will host “The National Concert Band of America” at 3 p.m. Sunday at Southern High School, 4400 Solomons Island Road in Harwood. this 60-piece band will play familiar band music, from classical to pop to marching songs. the event is free.

The Kiwanis Club, 1431 Snug Harbor Road in Shady Side is hosting turkey shoots for the next two Sundays. Prizes include ham, turkey, bacon and beef. Refreshments will be available for purchase. twenty targets per shoot, only 12-gauge shoulder held guns with a maximum 30 inch barrel are permitted. for more information, call 410-867-2599.

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Around South County: Thousands of Easter eggs waiting for you in Shady Side