The Arnold's are Searching for Serendipity: National Camping Travelers {NCT} Annual Turkey Roast at Mineral Spring Campground

We have been members of NCT for about 25 years. It is a Family camping club which requires that there be a Masonic Affiliation to join. Connecticut’s Chapter is one of the founding chapters. They have been doing a turkey roast at Mineral Springs for as long as I can remember. This year we served about 75 dinners, in years past we jammed the dining room with 125 folks.

Last year we were driven off the property by the infamous Ice Storm of 2011. All made it home safely but there was great concern. Friday this year we were meet with a deluge of rain. As you can see in the photo, Saturday was sunny and pleasant. The group shown is gathered around the grill where we cook the turkeys all day.

Every 15 minutes our dedicated staff of volunteers rotate the turkeys to see that they are evenly roasted. Clock Wise or Counter Clock Wise you ask? It is a closely held Masonic Secret. While this is transpiring, other folks are busy peeling spuds and veggies. A huge quantity of deserts also start to appear.

At the appointed hour, our leader gathers a group of carvers in the kitchen in an attempt to carve the birds. This is not easy as they have not only been roasting for about 8 hours, they have been rolled over 4 times an hour. The meat does fall off the bones! Photos are not available as there may be young children viewing this, it is not a pretty operation!

After an appropriate blessing, the starving masses are called forward for the feast. There is plenty for all and leftovers will be shared or go into tomorrows farewell ‘MustGo’ soup pot at the campfire.

We were very please to have R.W. Brother Donald Dean and his wife Christiana as our guests for dinner. Don is the grand Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut and as such has a very busy schedule. He stands on the right below after being presented a check for $525 to go to MasoniCare’s Quality of Life program. Don is on the right, standing very close to the desert table!

At 10:00 on Sunday Morning we have a non denominational church service we give thanks for our bounty and remember those who cannot be with us due to distance or distress.

The finally is saved for noon time on Sunday when we have our famous and well known ‘MustGo’ Turkey soup. This culinary delight was formulated by the late Brother Walt Polwaka about 25 years ago. The recipe started out as Turkey soup cooked over the campfire with the previous days leftovers. Realizing that this was the last campout for most of us , Walt declared that the ladies empty their kitchen and that all of their suplus canned veggies, pasta, beans, etc MustGo into the soup/stew. Cold weather drove us inside, several folks eat in small groups at their rig.