Last year I wrote about it and many have asked me how it all ended up, and that is the anticlimactic conclusion. Now I need to move on and grow this column into the force for the good that I know it is and will continue to be. I want to be a part of this, and want you be a part of this also. Kathleen Neff of North Newton, Kansas was the first in a long line of readers last year to pick up a pitchfork and help the column’s cause. This year, the cause is much sweeter: not to battle a bank, but to set the column’s course. We have the numbers to easily do this.

As I was reflecting on my memories of The Amish Cook, I remembered quite clearly sitting in the late Elizabeth Colblentz’s living room and rocking a baby one quiet summer afternoon years ago. I briefly fell asleep with the baby on my shoulder. The baby is now almost 17 years old and named Elizabeth Eicher, the namesake of Elizabeth Colblentz. Elizabeth Coblentz is now gone and her rocker sits lonely in my living room. But the column she started writing continues, an organic link connecting today with 20 years ago, a time when fax machines were awe-inspiring, cell phones were reserved for the rich, and the Internet was relegated to the dark, geeky corners of college campuses.

Reminiscing about the past made me realize that every long-lasting structure needs a strong foundation to build upon and The Amish Cook column never really had one. In the beginning, I was an 18-year-old with no plan, trying to build a tower on the soft and shifting sands of inexperience. Now is the time to move from the past and build for the future.

To move the Amish Cook forward, we need to strengthen our connection with loyal friends and followers and make new friends along the way. Our first step is to re-open the AMISH COOK FRIEND CLUB to new members. Membership includes:

SUPPORTER: A personalized snail-mail thank you note and a discount code for future soft cover cookbook purchases. $25.00

FRIEND: A personalized thank you note, discount code, and a photo of Lovina’s kitchen at mealtime. $50.00

AMBASSADOR: All of the above plus the Limited Edition cookbook, “AMISH COOKBOOK USA” (a collection recipes from Amish settlements across the United States). $100.00

OTHER: Create your own level.

To join The Amish Cook Friend Club, send to: Oasis Newsfeatures, PO BOX 157, Middletown, Ohio 45042 or to join online visit www.oasisnewsfeatures.com/special A video message is also available for viewing at www.oasisnewsfeatures.com/special The Friend Club drive goes through May 6, with percentage of goal reached to appear after Lovina’s column until then. Of course the main benefit of joining the Friend Club is knowing that you’re helping to keep The Amish Cook column on sound ground for a long time to come.

My first novel, “The Amish Appeal,” will be published this fall. This romance novel blends the experiences I’ve had with Amish settlements over the past 20 years with an entertaining and educational story line. “The Amish Appeal” will give readers a realistic glimpse into the Amish way of life. If a strong foundation can be poured now, I am excited about the future. There are a lot of great things in store for The Amish Cook. I look forward to staying in touch with you – our friends and supporters -- and making new friends.

I hope you enjoy this delicious salad from in the spirit of the Amish Cook Friend Club

Amish Friendship Salad

1 cup of diced ham
2 cups of cooked macaroni
1-1/2 tablespoon of barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons of catsup
1/4 cup of chopped grated pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of chopped onions
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
3/4 cup of grated cut celery
1 teaspoon of prepared mustard1/2 cup of chopped carrots

Combine ham, macaroni, celery, carrots, pepper, and onion. In another bowl, mix mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, catsup, and mustard. Mix thoroughly and add to other mixture.