Charles Warner|Daily Times Neil Valentine, far left, dips some chicken stew out of a pot being stirred by his granddaughter, Abbie Valentine, center left, to fill being set up and capped by his grandson, Carson Valentine, center right, as Tubo Owens, far right, watches. The four were among the volunteers who took part in a chicken stew fundraiser for the Miracle League of Union County earlier this week.

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Charles Warner|Daily Times Gator Hudson, left, hands Dottie Rodgers, right, her chicken stew during a fundraiser for the Miracle League of Union County earlier this week. Rodgers was among the many Union County residents who, through their purchases and/or donations, helped Hudson and his fellow volunteers raise more than $5,000 for the league.

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Derik Vanderford|Daily Times Becky Cobb and Tammy Littlejohn, seat behind table, Gator Hudson, seated at the end of the table, and Tommy Sinclair, standing, take a break during the fundraiser for the Miracle League of Union County at the Union County Stadium earlier this week. They were among the volunteers who helped prepare and handout the stew which was sold to help the league toward meeting its goal of raising $60,000 to obtain an equal amount from the Timken Family Foundation of Canton, Ohio.

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Derik Vanderford

Staff writer

UNION — More than $5,000 was raised for The Miracle League of Union County through an event held earlier this week.

As its latest fundraiser, The Miracle League of Union County (MLUC) presold tickets for the “Drive-Through Chicken Stew” sale held in the Union County Stadium parking lot.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., people drove through the lot to pick up quarts of hot chicken stew on a chilly Thanksgiving Eve.

Union County Supervisor Tommy Sinclair — head stew coordinator — issued a warning to those who drove through.

“Be careful, because this stew is addictive,” Sinclair said.

Sinclair, Neil Valentine and Tubo Owens were in charge of the cooking, and they were assisted by Tiffany Littlejohn, Kevin Shropshire, Becky Cobb, Brad Jolly, Kathie Sinclair, Jessica Gallman, Robert Hill, Dalton Williams, Amy Austin, Lynn Eaves, Joey Nichols, Mickey Cranford, Gator Hudson, Steve Ramsey and Brad Valentine.

One of the secrets to Sinclair’s chicken stew recipe is to have plenty of meat, as he included at least a half-pound of chicken per quart.

More than $3,000 was raised from stew sales — almost 450 quarts — while an additional $2,000 was raised through two personal donations before the stew sale began.

“What got my attention is that we sold tickets in advance, and a number of people came to make a donation whether they got any stew or not,” Sinclair said. “They said, ‘That’s all right about the stew; I came to help Miracle League.’ It’s not about the stew, it’s about the people.”

League Executive Director Amy Austin said she and everyone involved are thankful for those who purchased stew and made donations for the cause.

This puts the league more than halfway toward meeting a challenge from the Timken Family Foundation of Canton, Ohio, to raise $60,000. If the league meets that goal, the foundation has agreed to match the amount with another $60,000. The Timken Family Foundation issued the challenge after it donated $25,000 in October.

Austin said the league is $30,000 away not only from the challenge, but from the entire $250,000 goal.

“The fundraising was jump-started with a fundraiser at Buffalo Seafood in the spring,” Austin said. “To raise that amount of money in that short amount of time is exciting!”

Other fundraisers have included Christmas at Nicholson Mansion, a sale at Tubozzzz, T-shirt and Christmas ornament sales, UCARE 12 Days of Christmas and a number of individual donations.

Austin mentioned that she had set a personal goal.

“I feel like we’ll be able to reach our goal by Christmas,” she said. “I know we’re still $30,000 away, but as quick as money has been coming in since October, I believe there are still people out there who will step up.”

Austin said if her Christmas goal is met, then the transformation of Timken Sports Complex Field No. 1 into a Miracle League field could begin in January. The transformation will involve the installation of a completely flat, low-impact surface that will support any mobility aid, including walkers and wheelchairs.

Reach staff writer Derik Vanderford at 864-427-1234, ext. 29, or at dvanderford@heartlandpublications.com.