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Thursday, August 14, 2008
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There's the beef Night of hearty dining is summer tradition at the Ideal Fire Hall Staff Writer PEQUOT LAKES - For many, the Ideal Beef Feed has become a summer tradition, where neighbors join one another at rows of tables outside the Ideal Fire Hall, eating endless servings of watermelon, corn-on-the-cob and, of course, beef.
In its 31st year, the event, which raises funds for the Ideal Fire Department, efficiently served dinner Wednesday to more than 2,300 people in less than four hours.
Keith and Verna Finneseth, residents of Crosslake and Burnsville, joined Dick and Lois Haglund of Crosslake and Bradenton, Fla., for dinner at the feed.
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Firefighters collected donations for Dan Chisholm's family at the Ideal Beef Feed Wednesday at the Ideal Fire Hall. An Ideal Firefighter for 26 years and one of the event's biggest supporters, Chisholm died in an ultralight plane crash on July 21.
For more photos from the Beef Feed, visit Spotted at brainerddispatch.com. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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Neither couple was sure how long they'd been attending the annual event, possibly since the late 1970s.
"It's something to do in the summertime," said Verna Finneseth. "It's one of the many summer traditions you need to take in. I wouldn't miss it."
"And we know so many firefighters," added Dick Haglund.
Jeff Holubar, an Ideal firefighter and a co-organizer of the feed this year, said the fire department and its many volunteers prepared four tons of corn, two large pallets of watermelon, 1,950 pounds of beef, 650 pounds of coleslaw and 2,500 buns Wednesday.
It took 30 volunteers nearly four hours to shuck the corn. Many people had seconds, thirds or even more.
"I saw a guy who had a seven-cob pyramid going on," said 14-year-old Jared Hemming, who was working as a volunteer walking around the event serving hot, buttery corn. He said he wanted to eat the corn himself but couldn't because of his braces. "It's very tempting. All that corn sloshing around in butter."
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Coltin Mak. 6. of Farmington bit into an ear of corn Wednesday at the 31st Annual Ideal Beef Feed, a fundraiser for the Ideal Fire Department. This was the second year he has attended the event. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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"It's always been a good turnout," Holubar said, of the feed. "For a small community it's amazing how many people turn out for this event."
While the Ideal Fire Hall and its parking lot were packed with people, there was one man whose absence was deeply felt by many.
Dan Chisholm, a 26-year Ideal firefighter, was known as the keeper of the secret beef recipe. He could often be found tending to the beef during the early morning hours before the feed right up through the event.
Chisholm died July 21 in an ultralight airplane crash at his home in Ideal Township. On Wednesday, firefighters were collecting donations at the feed to help his family.
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More than 2,300 people attended the 31st Annual Beef Feed held at the Ideal Fire Hall Wednesday evening. The event is a fundraiser put on by firefighters and their families. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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Ken Stoltman, an Ideal firefighter for the past 19 years, had worked alongside Chisholm for the past 10 years preparing the beef for the feed. He, along with firefighters Ted Ebnet and Doug Duval, attempted to replicate Chisholm's secret recipe.
"Dan was the man for many years. I've been thinking about him a lot," said Stoltman. "I think we did him proud."
The Ideal Beef Feed is always held the second Wednesday in August.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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