The 2024 Jim Rhoades Memorial Hog Roast will take place December 5, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Scott Hall at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. Dine-in and drive-through are available.
The year was 1997. Seated around an old round table at Don and Dona’s Restaurant, a discussion about how low the Good Cheer Fund was at the time was taking place. The late Jim Rhoades owned and operated Rhoades Hardware Store on Jefferson Street located near the railroad tracks at the time. He and his friends and family decided to use the parking lot and host a hog roast, in hopes of raising extra money to improve the low funds. Rhoades convinced a local salesperson to set up grills, and he set up tables in the parking lot and asked for free-will donations for a pulled-pork dinner and bean soup.
That first year they profited $300. In the first few years it seemed like a blustery cold day was to coincide with the cookout. After a few years a local church let them use a large tent for shelter. The event has now snowballed into a major undertaking and extraordinarily successful endeavor. Last year over $61,000 was raised to benefit not only the Good Cheer Fund, but also Johnson County’s Interchurch Food Pantry, making a dramatic difference in food insecurity for residents of Johnson County.
After Rhoades passed in 2005, the Franklin Rotary adopted this fundraiser, carrying on his memory and continuing to benefit the community. “I think it is a wonderful thing that it still goes on,” said Jayne Rhoades, who was Jim’s wife and working partner in the hardware store. “I am humbled and indebted to the rotary that they continue to honor Jim’s legacy. They could have let that part go, not using his name, but they have kept that going and I am thankful for it.”
Franklin Rotary’s motto is “Service above self.” Eric Leugers, the chairperson of the Jim Rhoades Memorial Hog Roast, said the goal of rotary is to serve the community with a heavy emphasis on leaning into the needs of the community they represent. “There are a lot of blinders out there regarding food insecurity in our county,” he said. “Until you get out there and involved, people do not fully understand.”
Statistics show that one out of eight people in Indiana faces hunger. One in seven children in Indiana does not know where their next meal is coming from. In today’s unpredictable times, the annual hog roast serves as a helping hand to provide healthy food and assistance to families in Johnson County.
There are many hands involved in making this event successful. With the cost of groceries inflated and the increase of need, it is an ongoing challenge to meet that need. Along with the rotary, there are a total of around 60 to 70 volunteers, many of whom have been around since the hardware store parking lot days. First Class Catering in Columbus, Indiana, now cooks the meal served. They have provided a substantial price cut in their cost because the founder, Caleb Blackerby, believes in the cause. The menu consists of fried chicken, pork, green beans, mashed potatoes and fried biscuits. Under Joey Dunn’s leadership, Indian Creek’s FFA donates and cooks 650 pork chops and homemade ice cream. Multiple businesses and individuals donate to the cause. The Interact Club from Franklin Community High School volunteers at the dinner. The Franklin Community Band plays at the event. The Nimble Thimbles Quilt Club has donated items and hosted a quilt for raffle. Last year their donations were over $3,000.
“When Jim passed in 2005, the concern was how do we keep this going, then COVID happened and the concern was how do we keep this going, then the passing of the former owner of Malone’s Catering who prepared the meal for years, and the concern was how do we keep this going?” said Leugers. “The power of this community and their recognition of the needs of our community keeps it going.”
To contribute to this event, visit franklinrotary.org. To learn more about the beneficiaries, go to jccf.org and jcpantry.org.
