Annual fox hunt to raise money for volunteer fire department
By Steve Herring
Published in News on February 3, 2016 1:46 PM
ALBERTSON -- The annual Washington's Day Fox Hunt and Dog Trials will be held Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Albertson Ruritan Community Building, N.C. 111.
Sponsored by the Albertson Ruritan Club, the proceeds are shared by the club, Albertson Volunteer Department and Albertson Recreation Center.
Last year, more than $15,000 was netted.
The event has been a tradition for nearly 70 years since a small group of people got together in this rural Duplin County community to hold a fox hunt and meal to celebrate the George Washington's Birthday holiday.
Dog trials replaced the actual fox hunt some 30 years ago, but not the food and fellowship.
The event is held rain or shine.
The day gets off to an early start with a breakfast of eggs, grits, sausage, and homemade biscuits served from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. The cost is $5.
A memorial service starts 7 a.m. remembering people in the community who have passed away, and who normally attend the fox hunt every year.
A community pastor will conduct brief service.
Barbecued chicken, pork and fish stew will be sold from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $7, eat-in or take-out.
Raffle tickets for a chance to win a Browning shotgun or $800 in cash are being sold and cost $5 each. Second prize is $200 and third prize is $100.
The drawing will be held at the end of the field trials and trophy presentations around 2 p.m., Ruritan Willie Rouse said.
Rouse will have tickets as well as members of the fire department and any Ruritan.
"I get them in as many hands as I can," Rouse said.
This is the 31st year that the dog trials have been held. Last year 221 dogs were registered. The dogs are judged on speed and drive.
The trials start at 7 a.m. and end noon.
To register a dog call 252-568-4703.
The fire department cooks the pigs and the chickens for the event.
Rouse, who joined the Ruritan Club in 1963, and Braxton Grady cook the fish stew.
Rouse has been cooking the fish stew since 1964. Grady started helping about 1985.
"We try to do the best cooking and give the best service that we can," Rouse said. "Most times we get a lot of compliments on the food. We have a lot of good volunteers. We couldn't do it without them."
Many of the volunteers help year after year, he said.