CONTRIBUTED BY
WATOOLA UMC
LEE COUNTY —
It’s almost here — the 46th annual Barbeque at Watoola United Methodist Church in Opelika. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, May 14. Food will be served between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Plate cost $10 with proceeds going towards church improvements. Your plate will be filled with homemade Brunswick stew and coleslaw, bread, dill pickles and some of the cooked on-site, slow-roasted and pulled chicken or pork barbeque. Baked goods will also be for sale on the day of the event. You may eat in the fellowship hall or take your plate with you.
The whole church family works together preparing for this yearly event. Each family uses Gertrude’s Brunswick Stew recipe and Billy’s Barbeque sauce recipe which have been favorites for generations. Hardy Watooleans work the barbeque pit through the night with more than 650 pounds of fresh whole hams and 350 halves of fresh chicken. Everyone comes together to make homemade coleslaw and bring in their favorite desserts for the bake sale.
Everyone is welcome to come and see the new sanctuary that was rebuilt after the tornado that swept through Beauregard. Back in 1838, Watoola United Methodist Church was established on Watoola Creek. In 1905, a church was built on the present site. That church building was destroyed on March 3, 2019, when an EF4 tornado went through the area. The fellowship hall was not damaged, and the church was able to continue having services there until they were able to rebuild and open the present sanctuary in November of 2020. The rebuilding was done with the help of the church family, the local community and donations from as far away as Illinois and Maryland. Watoola UMC will be forever grateful for the generous outpouring of love and support that helped the church rebuild. Rev. Keith Badowski is the present minister.
Watoola United Methodist Church is located at 1370 Lee Road 38, Opelika. Travel about 13 miles south on Alabama Highway 51 and look for a sign directing you to Lee Road 38. Turn left onto Lee Road 38 and follow this road to the church. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the great barbecue and fellowship time.