Whether you call it the Spaghetti Dinner, the Hunters Feed, or the Old DeBorgia Schoolhouse Harvest Dinner, locals know exactly what you mean. 

For more than half a century, this cherished fall gathering has signaled the arrival of big game hunting season and the promise of another evening filled with great food, laughter and community spirit.

The tradition dates back to the late 1960s or early 1970s, when the Happy Homemakers, a group of local women dedicated to community service, first hosted the event. Over time, the group evolved into the DeBorgia Historical Schoolhouse Foundation, but their mission remains the same: preserve history, celebrate community, and share good food.

This year’s dinner took place on Friday, Oct. 24, with doors opening early at 4 p.m. to accommodate those headed to the St. Regis High School football game later that evening. By the time the first plates of steaming spaghetti hit the tables, the historic schoolhouse was buzzing with familiar faces and laughter.

Few volunteers embody the spirit of the event more than Gigi DuBois, who has been involved for at least 17 years. Between this and countless other schoolhouse events, she says it’s the people who keep her coming back. 

“Because of our beautiful community and having the opportunity to be around and social with people we don’t get to see all year long,” DuBois said with a smile. 

Sitting beside her at the raffle table was her longtime college friend Kaye Liston from Portland, Oregon. 

“This is about our fifth time we’ve come over for this event,” Liston said. “We enjoy the spaghetti dinner, the people, and those apple pies; they’re so good we take them home for friends and call them Montana Pies!” The pair shared a laugh, reminiscing about college days and joking that at this age, they “walk the same way they did after a night out partying.”

Behind the scenes, volunteers spent days preparing the meal. Susan Charles handled much of the shopping and her list read like a recipe for tradition: 15 pounds each of Italian sausage and ground beef, heaps of onions, green peppers, fresh basil and parsley, 40 pounds of spaghetti, loaves of garlic bread, and of course, plenty of red wine “to taste.”

Charles says her passion for the schoolhouse runs deeper than the kitchen. 

“There’s something about walking in here that you can feel; history,” she said. “The old one-room schoolhouse reminds you of when big kids helped the little kids, and communities always looked out for each other. I want to keep that history alive.” 

Upstairs, Charles often gives tours of the old classroom, where visiting children are known to say, "I want to go to a school like that."

After serving 95 dinners, the kitchen team, led by “Kitchen Queen” Naomi Stevens, canned the leftover sauce to sell at the November 22 Bake Sale which is a favorite pre-Thanksgiving event where locals stock up on homemade pies, breads, and now, jars of the famous spaghetti sauce.

Newer volunteers like Shannon Baum have found a sense of belonging through the Schoolhouse Foundation. 

“They are a fabulous group of volunteers, and the schoolhouse is a real treasure,” said Baum, who moved to St. Regis from the Seattle area two years ago. “We were looking for a place to give back, and I found my people here.”

The evening also featured community raffles and friendly faces like Frank Magee of the West End Volunteer Fire Department, who is selling tickets for a Henry Big Boy .44 Magnum rifle to be raffled off at their November 15 Chili Cook-Off at the fire station. They are $5 a piece and can be ordered at (208) 651-7700.

As always, the DeBorgia Historical Schoolhouse Foundation is looking for “younger blood” to help carry on these beloved traditions. Following the Bake Sale, the next community event will be the Annual Schoolhouse Christmas Lighting in December, with details to be announced soon. For updates or to get involved, visit the Foundation’s Facebook page at facebook.com/deborgiahistoricschoolhouse

    Customer not only enjoyed their meal and conversation with neighbors, but the colorful decorations are always appreciated for the annual fall event, both inside and outside the schoolhouse. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
  

    Tables of family and friends sat together but also community tables of strangers dined together while becoming friends at this special dinner. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)