Madison Church Donation is rich in history

The 137th annual Madison Church Donation will be held Saturday, Nov. 9, at 5:30 p.m. in the James Noyes Memorial Gym at Madison Elementary School. The Madison Church Donation is held early in November of each year and heralds the coming of winter. It is the major fund raiser for the church.Dating back to the time of the Civil War, the Donation is steeped in history. Rural communities were experiencing hardship and financial strain following the war and it became necessary to donate a portion of the autumn harvest to help support the minister and his family. Although the intention was good, unfortunately the actual plan failed. Food was bountiful in the fall but it grew lean later in the year and it became obvious that other methods of assisting the church minister would have to be found. Thus began the Madison Church Donation.As one story recalls, on Aug. 15, 1865, a boy was born in the town of Madison and his name was William c. Kennett. His mother, a devout Christian woman and tireless church worker, was undoubtedly one of those connected with the original pound parties. This is what they called it when church members brought a pound of some sort of food item to support the minister, the name later turned into "Donation." So, as Mr. Kennett always told the story before he passed away, "Mother bundled me in warm homespun blankets and trundled me off to the first Donation party."Some 137 years later the tradition is still going strong. This function brings together church members and people of Madison and the surrounding communities in spiritual friendship and fun.The long-standing traditional Donation dinner is the famous oyster stew, made by Wilbur Meader and Lee Drew. Served with oyster crackers, this stew is an eagerly awaited part of the Donation. A recent addition to the menu is Margaret Hayford's recipe for corn chowder, made by her daughters Lisa and Kathy with the help of some friends.The ladies, men and children of the Madison Church take great pride in sharing their talent, recipes and enthusiasm for the evening. Many of the fancy cakes take on a festive theme from a Thanksgiving cornucopia to the most elaborate gingerbread houses. In recent years the cakes have been known to bring upwards of $60 to $80 in bidding. Homemade crafts also will be part of the evening's auction.(Some of the information for this article was taken from "Madison's 100th Donation Highlights" booklet.)