The weather cooperated, the sun shone brightly, and by noon the Abingdon Ruritan Club began filling with anxious ticket holders.

The occasion was the 12th Black History Month celebration of Black Men Cooking. Volunteer chefs were prepared to make sure the guests didn’t leave hungry. Members of the Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Eta Chapter of Gloucester, with Soror Sharon Washington as chairman, brought about this day of entertainment, celebration and good eating.

A program presented by Reginald Morris, Gayle Barren and Bridgette Houston, and presentations to two high school and two middle school students who were chapter winners in the Evelyn D. Wilkey American Education Week Essay Contest, opened the event. Then came the tasting.Tantalizing aromas summoned lines of people before the chefs. The chefs graciously served each person.

The chefs volunteering their time (although one chef said, “My wife got me into it”) included some who have participated almost every yea...