Published: May 08, 2008 01:11 am            

Mother’s Day on the map

Food Network caters ‘awesome’ picnic at Grafton shrine

GRAFTON — There was only one reason Angel Nestor had brought her mom, Kim Runner, to the Mother’s Day picnic at the International Mother’s Day Shrine.

“I love my mom dearly,” she said.

What better way to show that love than with a spread-your-blanket-on-the-grass picnic ... catered by the Food Network’s Chef Michael Symon?

Chad Proudfoot, a member of the shrine’s board of trustees, said that representatives of the popular cable channel contacted them about catering a picnic in honor of the holiday’s 100th birthday.

“We are the birthplace of Mother’s Day ... so we jumped at the chance.”

With help from the West Virginia Division of Tourism and Department of Agriculture, and local vendors, the picnic was a success, he said.

“This is probably the biggest event in terms of amount of people and status that the Mother’s Day Shrine has ever gotten,” he said as the 500 and more invited guests arrived.

“The Mother’s Day Shrine is a diamond in the rough,” said Cindi Mason, project coordinator of the shrine.

“People are starting to pick up on what a great treasure it is. This was a golden opportunity for not only the shrine and Grafton, but also North Central West Virginia, to get a little recognition that’s been a long time in coming.

“The picnic also helped show some appreciation for moms. The chef had his mother helping him in the kitchen all day. It was like watching yourself with your own kids.”

She declined to identify the name of the Food Network program, but said that when it airs later this summer, it will include footage of the shrine.

“They learned who the Jarvis women were, so it was very educational for them as well as for us.”

Kim Runner sat on the front bank of the lawn with her daughter, sister and nephew, and mother.

“It’s great that mothers can come out and be with their children and enjoy a good time on a beautiful day in a beautiful city. We did put Mother’s Day on the map.”

She added that she will attend Sunday’s Mother’s Day service at the shrine.

“It’s a great tradition. It’s like an old-fashioned church service, like it used to be. It’s a good experience.”

And so was the Food Network’s picnic, which was “awesome,” she said.

“I hope they come back again.”

Her sister, Micki Runner of Thornton, is a self-proclaimed “Food Network junkie,” who once drove four hours to Cleveland to see Rachael Ray. When she found out Marc Summers and the star chef were coming to Grafton, “I almost fell down,” she said.

“It’s great that Grafton is getting recognition. I am so proud. The downtown looks incredible. I lived in Cleveland for a year and a half, and it’s good to be home.”

“Mother’s Day is something everybody celebrates and it started here, in this tiny, tiny little town,” said her son, William Neubauer. “This is something West Virginia needs to be proud of.”

Sue Neubauer of Thornton, has a close connection to the Mother’s Day Shrine.

“I was baptized in this church. And I used to go to this church every Sunday. It’s an amazing church and it’s time it’s getting the recognition that it should have.

“Anna Jarvis is the most important person in the whole world to me,” she said. “And her mother was fantastic. I give tours at Anna’s birthplace in Webster and the feeling you get when you walk into that house and find out how she honored her mother ...

“And for us to honor our mothers every year in a place like this is just wonderful. You can’t come to a nicer church than this.

“It was wonderful of the Food Network. People got to socialize on the grounds and have a wonderful lime. The food was delicious.”

E-mail Debra Minor Wilson at dwilson@timeswv.com.

        

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