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Dhani Joseph: It’s been 75 years since Our Lady of Pompeii parish started serving fresh spaghetti and meatballs on Election Day. The longtime tradition is well-known within the community. But what might not be as well-known is that the event actually began by chance.
Lucy Paris, Event Organizer: It just happened to be election day because 75 years ago, the Mother’s Club at Pompeii decided to do it for the polling, for the people who came to vote because this used to be a polling spot, and for the polling workers. And they just started a little fundraiser for the school that way, and it’s just mushroomed into this.
Joseph: Preparations for the event started the weekend prior, with volunteers creating fresh sauce and hand making over 6000 meatballs. Sam Spadaro, who’s ninety-eight years old, has made it to nearly every single supper.
Sam Spadaro: My children were going to school here. And so that’s when I started, back in 1950…Every year’s a plus, I’ll tell you that.
Joseph: Hundreds of people have already made their way down to Our Lady of Pompeii to grab a hot plate of spaghetti and meatballs. But when it comes to Election Day, on a day where most people are quite frankly divided on, this event brings together all people, no matter their political opinions.
Staci Dennis-Taylor, Syracuse City Court Judge: It’s beautiful because this is across party lines. You’re seeing people pop up from all over the town and the county and it’s bringing us together and I’m just really excited to be apart of it.
Joseph: For many, this event has become a family affair. Kevin Meaker, who attended the Our Lady of Pompeii school as a child, chose to share the long-standing tradition with his family.
Kevin Meaker, Onondaga County Legislator, Second District: It’s wonderful, my children have never missed a year. We come back year and year. They look forward to it every year, they ask to come back again. They get excited about it, because it’s fun. It’s just a bunch of people…we see familiar faces once a year. You get to talk, you get food, it’s a wonderful experience and I’m so grateful that I have my family here with me.
Joseph: Dhani Joseph NCC News.
Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) — Election Day 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the Our Lady of Pompei’s annual spaghetti and meatball supper. Hosted at the parish’s school, the tradition has since become a staple within the community and brings in hundreds of people each year. However, the long-standing event actually began on a whim on Election Day 1949.
“It just happened to be election day because 75 years ago, the Mother’s Club at Pompeii decided to do it for the polling, for the people who came to vote because this used to be a polling spot, and for the polling workers,” Lucy Paris, the organizer of the Election Supper said. “And they just started a little fundraiser for the school that way, and it’s just mushroomed into this.”
The event has grown since then, and volunteers have needed to meet the demands. Preparations begin the weekend prior. Volunteer cooks created fresh sauce from scratch and rolled over 6000 meatballs. In addition, the selection also included salads, garlic breads, and different varieties of cookies, along with live Italian music for attendees.
Sam Spadaro, who’s ninety-eight years old, has grown along with the event. He says he’s made it to almost every single supper.
“My children were going to school here. And so that’s when I started, back in 1950,” Spadaro said. “Every year’s a plus, I’ll tell you that.”
On a day that the country may be at its most divided, the Spaghetti supper brings together people for a hot meal and fellowship, regardless of their political opinions.
“It’s beautiful because this is across party lines,” Staci Dennis-Taylor, Syracuse City Court Judge said. “You’re seeing people pop up from all over the town and the county and it’s bringing us together and I’m just really excited to be apart of it.”
Over time, this event has become a family affair. Generations of locals have made their way down to the Our Lady of Pompei school every election cycle for the event. Kevin Meaker, the Onondaga County Legislator in the 2nd district, says that the event means so much to him because he grew up going to the supper and can now pass the tradition down to his children.
“It’s wonderful, my children have never missed a year. We come back year and year. They look forward to it every year, they ask to come back again. They get excited about it, because it’s fun. It’s just a bunch of people…we see familiar faces once a year. You get to talk, you get food, it’s a wonderful experience and I’m so grateful that I have my family here with me.”