About 30 years ago, Mark Ebert received a phone call from his friend, Dean Oswald. Would he help cook pork chops on Saturday night during Hog Days?
“I gave it a try,” said Ebert, “and have been doing it every Hog Days Saturday except the year our son, Andy, got married on Labor Day.”
His turn at the grill wasn’t his first experience volunteering for the perennial festival, however. He was secretary and treasurer for several years while working for the Community Fire Department and got involved in organizing the popular Labor Day Fly-In Breakfast at the airport. It was hard work but he enjoyed it.
Ebert said his goal was to become involved in the community and felt that in a small way, he could somehow contribute. The call from his friend was all the push he needed to become a volunteer in a barbeque pit crew.
Since Ebert didn’t grow up in Kewanee, he didn’t get to experience Hog Days as a youth, but his children did. They grew up immersed in the festival’s events.
“I have memories of taking our kids to the carnival and watching them in the Hog Days Stampede. The Hog days Parade has always been fun,” he said.
Ebert is originally from Mokena, Ill. His wife, Mary, and he have been married for over 40 years. They have three children: Andy, Becca and Michael and three grandsons, Atreyu, Gabe and Sebatian.
“My work history includes working for cattle farms, grain elevator management and seed corn sales,” said Ebert.
He also took a turn as a substitute teacher for Kewanee and Galva School districts for six years, and has been involved with Kewanee FFA Alumni and Supporters for 32 years. He served as an officer for most of those years.
He retired from the Kewanee Community Fire Department four years ago after serving 18 years as a volunteer fireman.
He is currently the secretary of Knights of Columbus and volunteers at the Kewanee Food Pantry two to three days a week.
“Mary and I retired but operate our farmer’s market out of our home,” he said. “We have a small herd of goats and a small flock of sheep.”
In spite of his busy schedule, he has still found time to join his Saturday night crew cooking chops for Kewanee Hog Days, but admits he didn’t have much experience when he began.
“I don’t have any particular skills at barbequing pork chops. I always manage to put together a crew of hard-working friends and family that do a terrific job of cooking pork chops and pork patties and have fun doing it.”
For quite a few years, Ebert has been “captain” of Saturday night crew.
“That just means that I make phone calls to make sure the team can make it. On Saturday night, I just make sure everything runs smoothly. And it always does,” said Ebert.
The team has changed over the years for various reasons. But there is always someone willing to step up an endure the smoke, the heat and the weather in order to put out some great sandwiches.
This year, his team will head back to the grills and is made up of his wife Mary, Nick and Becca Allen, Dean and Joline Oswald, Kevin and Dawn Charlet, Paul and Maureen VanWassenhove, Jeff and Merris Hennenfent, Bob Hennenfent, Lou Ann Cavanaugh and Jayson DeGroot.
Ebert gives the team credit for their hard work and dedication.
“What an awesome crew,” he said.
***The Kewanee Hog Days Committee is still seeking volunteers to help grill on Saturday, Sept. 2 and to help under the pork chop tent all day on Saturday from 11 am to close. To volunteer, message the Kewanee Hog Days Facebook page.
