Promise of Pie at North Whitehall Poll Makes the Line Much More Palatable

While there's no doubt the presidential election is the cause of many long voting lines throughout the area, at the Northern Valley Emergency Medical Service building on Levans Road, there could be an argument made that lines might actually be the result of homemade pie. Or maybe its the homemade soup, sandwiches or potato filling?

While Patch didn't conduct a scientific survery, it was clear that people who bought pies or other delicacies made and sold by members of the NOVA Auxiliary left feeling happier than those who did not.

Maybe it was they way they held the pies high to get a long whiff or the absence of complaining about a half-hour wait - who can say for sure? It's not something one can measure but the atmosphere at this poll was definitely more festive and pie had to be the variable.

After all, there were very long lines and much of the wait was outside in the cold. When poll workers showed up about 6:30 a.m. the line extended into the parking lot and got longer as the morning progressed. A few hours later it was shorter but the wait was still about a half-hour.

Henry Shoemaker, vice president of the NOVA Auxiliary, said members of the group baked 230 pies for the 2008 election and 300 for this year. At 11:30 a.m. many of the other baked goods were gone and the pie table, which had peach, blueberry, strawberry, apple and cherry to choose from, was looking a bit sparse.

Only 40 of the 180 ham and cheese sandwiches were still available and servers were starting to hit the bottom of the pan as they ladeled out some of the wonderful smelling hot soups.

He couldn't recall the exact amount of money raised during the 2008 election but Shoemaker estimated it was around $6,000. This year's take is expected to be more.

"We always sell out," Shoemaker said. "We have people that come from other polling places from other districts just come to buy pies and soups."

NOVA is a non-profit organization.