When I heard the theme for this issue of the magazine, my first thoughts were of tailgating and W.A.B.A.S.H. Day. A strange combination, but let me explain.
Carol and I love to tailgate.
For home games, we simply hang out with fellow Wabash football fans and make the rounds, as much as humanly possible, behind Hollett Little Giant Stadium.
For on-the-road games, Carol comes up with a different menu for each game. She makes an entrée or two based upon a lot of variables I still don’t understand. But she also likes to include fresh fruits and vegetables and a little bit of something sweet. We usually arrive early enough so that all the setup takes place before most fans arrive.
In a way, tailgating is like a family Thanksgiving. In the Runge house, at least, the key elements for Thanksgiving are family, friends, food, and football. Relaxing, catching up, sharing stories, eating a little too much, and all sitting around the television watching a game or games.
Wabash tailgating is exactly the same, but we get a chance to watch the game in person!
Of my many great tailgate memories, the best might be our first trip to Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2007 for the Division III quarterfinals. Whitewater fans were surprised that we beat them to “their” parking lot. It was cold and started snowing hours earlier than forecast. At one point, Bill Olsen ’70 had to take a break to sweep snow off the awning attached to his RV. I also recall an open tray of turnovers that had a healthy coating of snow “icing.” But none of that stopped the Wabash faithful—we were having a great time.
Those games are fun for the same reason Thanksgiving is so great—a relaxed and shared experience centered around family—in this case our Wabash family.
W.A.B.A.S.H. Day is another day that brings together the Wabash family. Each year the National Association of Wabash Men designates a weekend in the fall and Wabash groups gather around the country for a day of community service in their communities. W.A.B.A.S.H. Day (Wabash Alumni Benefitting And Serving Humanity) in 2015 is October 10-11, 2015.
W.A.B.A.S.H. Day projects vary according to the community and their needs. For the last couple of years, Wabash has partnered with Ronald McDonald Houses where one exists. This gives the Wabash community an opportunity to help others when they are totally focused on serious family challenges. In other communities, food pantries benefit from the labors of our alumni, family, and friends. In still other communities, common areas such as playgrounds get a spruced up. Last year, Wabash alumni, parents, students, family, and friends held almost 30 projects across America.
In the recipe for a good life, a dose of daily bread is mandatory. However, what makes that meal special, and that journey so rewarding, are the family and friends that join you at the table of life.
—Grunge
Tom Runge ’71, director, Alumni and Parent Programs, runget@wabash.edu
Carol’s Carolina Pulled Pork Barbeque for Wabash Tailgating
1 5-7 lb. fresh pork shoulder (If you have a small crock pot, have the butcher cut the shoulder in half so it will fit)
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups regular white vinegar (regular white)
BBQ sauce of choice (I use Bone Sucking Sauce or a Hickory Smoked)
crushed red pepper
hot sauce
Directions:
1. Trim skin and fat from the shoulder. Rinse, pat dry and place in crock pot.
2. Add the vinegar, then sprinkle the sugar, salt, and pepper over the shoulder and cover. Start at 8 p.m. with the crock-pot on low and allow to cook overnight (13-14 hours).
3. Next day remove shoulder from pot and remove bones. Mince with a fork if you like—I just pull it apart and lay it on a plate. Strain the liquid and save.
4. Add two cups of the liquid (in Carolina they call this “pot liquor”) to the crock pot.
5. Add as much BBQ sauce and crushed red pepper as you like into the pot (I use just about 1 cup BBQ sauce and a one tbsp of red pepper) and give it a couple of stirs.
6. Taste the sauce in the crock-pot to make sure it’s to your liking, then add the meat. Toss it around to coat.
7. Cover the mixture and turn the crock pot back on low. Allow mixture to cook down to desired level of moisture.
8. When serving, let folks put as much hot sauce or additional BBQ sauce as they like.