There must be many volunteers who give of their time and talents who must occasionally wonder if it’s worth it. There must be days when they wonder if anyone notices or appreciates it. It was many decades ago when I met my first Boy Scout leader, Carlos G. “Curly” Hosenfeld. He was a volunteer of the first degree, devoting years of his life to Troop 13 in New Paris, Ohio. Curly led the training and Curly led the fun. He knew when to be serious and he knew when to laugh. While he was teaching us to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, et cetera, he was also teaching us to “always leave the camp cleaner than when we found it.” And with his teachings came special occasions that have become traditions with those of us who wore that Troop 13 patch on our sleeves. Some years ago, Bob Creviston, who was the best frog-gigger the troop ever had, brought up the subject of Curly and his special stew in a conversation. He recalled that Curly took special pleasure in presiding over a pot of “pitch in what you’ve got left” stew on the last day of every camp. This recollection supports the conclusion that the good deeds of volunteers live long after they’re gone. Curly knew it was worth it. Curly’s Pitch-in Stew Swiss steak 2 (16-ounce) cans Veg-All with juice 14-ounce can Shellie Beans with juice 15-ounce can tomato sauce 15-ounce can water 1 medium onion, chopped Oregano flakes, to taste Garlic powder Leftover macaroni-and-cheese Other acceptable foods: chopped carrots, chopped celery, diced potatoes, peas, lima beans, cut-up hot dogs, cabbage Curly always brought a Swiss steak, which he dredged in flour and browned in a skillet; I generally use a leftover cut for this stew. The cut-up steak was then pitched into the stew pot. The canned vegetables with their juices went in next, and each Scout donated what he had left to the stew. The basics listed above make up the version of Curly’s stew I fix at home. But any of the add-ons won’t hurt a bit. The garlic powder idea was put forth by my aunt, Patty Kessler – her advice was, “No matter what size pot you use, shake on enough garlic powder to cover every inch of the surface of the stew; it will come out just right.” Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication. |
