METAMORA, Ohio — Eighty-five years ago, the tradition of the feather party in Metamora began. There have been many changes over the years, but the idea has remained the same: a chance for the community to get together and support the local fire department and win prizes in the process.
Feather parties are a tradition in the area among rural fire and rescue departments, which often operate on levies and are non-profit organizations.
Parties help fund equipment costs for the departments; and in the case of the Metamora-Amboy department, will also go toward a future scholarship fund for a graduating area high school student interested in pursuing a career in fire or EMS.
Metamora is a small town of just over 500 with two stoplights. The Metamora-Amboy Twp. Fire Department serves the surrounding area of around 2,000.
The yearly feather party, held every Tuesday before Thanksgiving, attracted 200 members of the community to the Metamora-Amboy fire hall.
The event features free entry and offers many prizes, but the main draw is to win turkeys and hams for the holiday season.
Participants purchase tickets for $2 with three chances to win per ticket. A wheel is spun and whichever number it lands on is the winner.
Winners exchange their tickets for a coupon to pick up a ham or turkey, depending on which they won. There's no limit to how many times you can win over the course of the night and the event goes until everything has been won.
At the Metamora-Amboy feather party, 96 turkeys and 32 hams were sourced from local meat shop St. Mary's Meat in Swanton for the raffle.
Ron Schafer of Metamora, who now resides in Sylvania Twp., has been attending the Metamora-Amboy feather party for 73 years.
Ron remembers the days when the prizes were live turkeys, including a 30 lb. live turkey as a door prize. Women would bake cookies and make candles for donations.
Traditions have changed since then as feathers are no longer involved, with turkeys now prepared and ready-to-cook and the addition of hams to the prizes.
Ron's favorite part isn't winning, but the excitement of watching others win and the people-watching. It's all about the community and seeing old friends and family members.
Carol and David Newbury have attended the party for more than 30 years to support the department.
Thirty years ago, Carol was in a car accident and the Metamora-Amboy fire and rescue department responded to the crash. The care she received was "marvelous" and led to her wanting to support the department as much as possible.
Each year, the Newbury family donates between $200 and $300 through the various activities at the feather party. One year they won nine turkeys and two hams. They donate the extra hams and turkeys to the Cherry Street Mission.
They support the nearby Richfield Twp. and Lyons feather parties as well, but say the best, without a doubt, is the one in Metamora.
Turkeys and hams are not the only items up for raffle. Various gift baskets from area establishments are donated as prizes, with raffles also taking place for pies made by the Country Charm Cafe, a Coach purse and tickets to a Toledo Walleye game. There was also a 50/50 draw.
The feather party is self-serving with the money made each year going toward the next.
The Metamora feather party takes place every year on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, while many other local departments host theirs earlier in November.
