Eight years ago the Advisory Council of Lincoln Chapter faced a bit of a challenge.  Their incoming Master Councilor Adam Colaianne proposed a unique fundraising idea: a Leap Year Chicken Cookout on February 29th. The Advisors scratched their heads and asked somewhat incredulously, “a cookout in the middle of winter…you want to do a chicken barbecue in February?”  But that’s just what Lincoln Chapter did in 2000, and it was so successful the Chapter has done it every year since! 

The 2008 Chicken Roast, as it has come to be known, was another success!  It was held on Sunday, February 17th at the Plum Creek-Monroeville Masonic Lodge No. 799 in Pittsburgh.  The 50º weather was a pleasant change to years past when the chickens were cooked outside over an open pit in cold rains, heavy snowfalls, blowing winds and sub-zero weather some years! 

The idea of a roasted chicken dinner in the middle of winter has been well-received and continues to grow in popularity each year.  The specially seasoned half of a chicken, potato salad, baked beans, roll and dessert dinner was available eat-in or take out. A sell-out number of 120 dinners were served in 2008!

“Dad” Ray Gottschall, Director of Advisor Training, and “Dad” Dave Berry, Executive Secretary, were in town for a DeMolay Advisor Development (DAD) Training Seminar that was held in conjunction with the dinner and, being no strangers to good food, when they gave the chicken roast a total of four thumbs up you know that it was an excellent meal and one not to be missed next year!

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