//Worth the wait: Easley man waits hours to be first in line at chicken sale

Worth the wait: Easley man waits hours to be first in line at chicken sale

EASLEY, SC (FOX Carolina) — Dozens of people waited in the dark at Easley High School Wednesday morning, everyone hoping to get their hands on a 40 lb. box of chicken for $45. Russell Ohlrogge was the first in line.

“I figured 5 o’clock might’ve been a little [late] but it seemed like it was probably the right time for it,” Ohlrogge said.

He got here extra early after hearing how quickly the House of Raeford Farms chicken sells out.

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“Hopefully we will be able to get some thing this morning.”

And he did.

The sale, scheduled to start at 10 a.m., started two hours early because the crowd was already huge. The line wrapped all the way around the school.

“I’ve got several boxes of thighs and breasts and one box of tenders,” Ohlrogge said.

It’s for his family of five, his sister and his in-laws.

Ohlrogge said his wife already knows what she’s making with the haul.

“She’s got so many different recipes it’s not even funny,” he said.

She’s one of the main reasons Ohlrogge came out so early.

“My wife has breast cancer for a third time,” he said. “We are extra cautious and not wanting to get a round a whole lot of people.”

Her weakened immune system makes trips to crowded stores risky. Money is also tight — the pandemic put him out of work.

“[Unemployment is] not your normal paycheck and stuff so you have to save where you can,” Ohlrogge said.”This is a big difference.”

The chicken is just over a dollar a pound, allowing Ohlrogge to stock up.

That gives him peace of mind.

“Having a bunch [of food] you can put back in the freezer and kind of save up a little bit, it makes a real big difference,” he said.

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