GILLETT -- A small group of folks stood around several grills and smokers outside of Marion Berry's large farm shop on Jan. 13 -- watching and talking as volunteer grill masters smoked ribs and grilled venison sausages and bacon wrapped duck-bites. Dressed in bib-aprons made for the occasion, the grillers were keeping a buffet of food inside the shop stocked with the smokey meats. The food was for the large crowd attending the Marion Berry Pre-Coon Supper Reception.
More than 200 guests attended the reception, with a large group from Little Rock making the trip to the farm on a tour bus. Entertainment was by The Going Jessie's.
The event, formerly a campaign fundraiser for the now-retired congressman, still attracts many Arkansas politicians to the farm including Gov. Asa Hutchinson. The reception -- which precedes the annual Coon Supper hosted by the Gillett Farmers and Business Club -- raised more than $15,000 for the Marion and Carolyn Berry Scholarship Fund at Arkansas State University.
-- Story and photos by Cary Jenkins
High Profile on 01/21/2018