106th Kingdom of Callaway Supper carries on tradition

Mandi Steele/FULTON SUN photos: Guests go through the food line during the dinner. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, stuffing and peas were all on the menu.
Mandi Steele/FULTON SUN photos: Guests go through the food line during the dinner. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, stuffing and peas were all on the menu.

Ron and Melody Craighead of Fulton sat down to take part in the 106th Kingdom of Callaway Supper Tuesday night, an event the couple said they've come to see as "tradition."

The Craigheads said they enjoy the fellowship and food the Supper provides annually, which brings them back to participate almost every year.

After a turkey and ham dinner in Tucker Dining Hall at William Woods University, guests moseyed over to the McNutt Campus Center for the main program of the evening. Kingdom Supper President Dr. Mike Basnett gave the introduction and presented Dr. David Durst as the Guest of Honor. Durst, a plastic surgeon in Huntsville, Ala., presented a slideshow in two parts. The first was about his family and career, and the second compared his native Fulton to Huntsville, his home since 1987.

"There are a lot of similarities between Fulton and the Kingdom of Callaway and Huntsville," Durst told his audience.

He went on to describe the similarities between the two cities ending his program saying, "There's no place like home."

Susan Krumm, 2001 Supper president, was recognized with the Honorary Colonel Award, and the Settler's Award was presented to Dr. Ron Baker, retired pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Fulton. The Distinguished Service Award was awarded to Ron Lutz and The Rooster Creek Boys. Although the former DJ for Fulton's KFAL 900 AM radio could not attend because of medical issues, a video clip of Lutz was shown. Lutz and The Rooster Creek Boys were broadcast in the area for 52 years, making the group well-known to Callawegians.

"We weren't the best; we weren't the worst, but we had fun," Lutz said during the video.

After the video, The Rooster Creek Boys, though not the original members, gave a live performance sparking some audience members into toe-tapping and clapping.

Mike Boulware of Hatton was announced as the new Kingdom Supper president for the 107th Supper before the program concluded.

Kelly Borman of Kingdom City attended the Supper to support Durst, her uncle. Borman said she liked how the long-time community members came out to visit with each other for the event.

"I love seeing all the older generation," she said.

The Supper committee just created a new website for people to view pictures and videos of past Suppers. Those interested can visit www.kingdomofcallawaysupper.com.