The Amish Adventure
September 11, 2001
The Eastern zone of the RV Fellowship met under the sun of the Ohio Amish area. The rally was with restrictive fun due to the cloud of the terrorist tragedy on the first day of the rally. Like all Americans, including some Canadians of North America, getting on was the order of the day, but with a resolve to support and show pride in our country.
The rally attracted 22 rigs with 46 Rotarians and spouses September 11th to the 16th. Headquarters was Whispering Hills Camp Grounds in Shreve, Ohio, in the center of Amish countryside. The area was explored, savored and shopped, as only Rotarians of our fellowship are famous for. Wagon Masters Phil and Nancy Johnson provided the planned events and guidelines to all local activities, points of interest and attractions.
Highlights included an Amish Culture discussion by local columnist David Kline after the first social hour and a great dinner at the campground restaurant. The following day was making up at the Millersburg Rotary Club. Their meeting included a delicious cookout at the Fire Ridge golf club where the golf tournament was to take place the next day. Thursday was time for our golf tournament, won by the Wagon Master and continual exploring of the Amish area by the non-golfers. Friday the group had a tour of Malabar Farm State Park (home of Louis Bromfield Pulitzer Prize winning author). The farm is an example of Bromfields life and dedication to farming by restoring the fertility of the land. This home is also the wedding site and honeymoon location for Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in 1945. Following lunch at the Malabar Inn Restaurant located in a restored building dating back to 1820. The day was completed with an afternoon tour of the Mohican State Park and the Parks resort. Saturday the morning breakfast was augmented by the visit in horse drawn carriage of two young Amish ladies with fresh warm bakery from their local ovens. The day hours were spent by the rally group trying to visit as many of the multitude of attractions and events in the area as possible. The day culminated with a home cooked Amish dinner at “The Miller’s Farm”. A meal for 46 people prepared by the Lady of the house and included chicken, meat loaf, mashed potatoes, vegetable, stuffing, home made noodles, salad, and 12 pies all prepared without electricity.
The breakfast, the social hours and the campfires were accomplished in perfect weather, albeit cool the last few days. In keeping with the events of the days, the together times were accompanied with songs of our country and prayers for the victims of the War on America
