Dunn marks New Year's Day with family, fellowship

The meal was originally just a few local farmers getting together to celebrate the new year. It has grown into a community celebration of about 500.

Glenn Page was hoping for good luck, preparing 50 pounds of black-eyed peas. "They say every one you eat, you're supposed to get a dollar," he said.

The peas were served up with flat cornbread collards, turnips, barbecue, sweet potatoes and chitlins.

"It's the last part that comes out of the hog," Page said. "This is redneck barbecue."

Thursday's event was also a tribute to one of the men who originally organized the lunch. He died in 2012.

"We just do it for the community, and we’re doing it in honor of my dad," Page said. "This was his day, and he loved doing it. We just keep doing it in honor of him right now."

There were guests old and new, first-timers and those who have been coming every year since it began.

"There is food and fellowship and a great deal of sentimentality," Page said.