The St. John's United Methodist Church in South Carolina sold over 2,000 pounds of freshly-picked apples during its Applefest event on Saturday.
Aside from fresh fruit, the church also sold other items. The proceeds from the one-day fundraising event would go directly to the various charitable work of the church.
Details of the Event
According to a report by Yahoo News, the annual fundraiser is now in its 11th year.
Bon Fogle, who is in charge of the event, described his functions at the yearly autumn activity.
"Basically, what I do is monitor the sales. I see what kinds of apples sell the best, and then I order more of those the following year from North Carolina. The ones that sell the least, I order less of those," Yahoo News quoted Fogle saying.
Fogle said that he expected several varieties to become the event's top sellers this year. These varieties included Stayman, Arkansas Black, and Pink Lady, which he said is his favorite.
"They are juicy, crisp, sweet and tart. They've got everything going for them," Fogle explained.
Apart from the apples, event organizers also sold holiday decors, clothing items, books, shoes, and framed prints. The activity also featured a silent auction.
St. John's UMC Senior Pastor, Dr. Tim McClendon, offered his views on the activity.
"Applefest is a blast. It pulls the whole church together. It pulls everybody's goodies out of their attics, and it pulls everybody's efforts together. It unites us and gets us all focused in the same direction in trying to help Aiken," he told Yahoo News.
According to him, around 400 to 500 of his congregation members volunteered for the event. The pastor said his church has about 2,000 members.
Meanwhile, 2022 Applefest co-chairperson Audrey Osteen said they had a hectic but enjoyable schedule.
"There is a lot of fellowship. We have the opportunity to talk to the community, and we love that. This is a mission-oriented church. That's what we're all about," Osteen said.
Also Read: Minnesota Lutheran Church Hosts Community Event for Mental Health Resource
Beneficiaries, Feedback
The report identified several beneficiaries of the fundraiser. It said that Jack Meeks Memorial Wheelchair Ramp Ministry, The Bridge 2 Home, and Aiken Senior Life Services are this year's event beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, several guests talked about their experiences during the event.
Sam Weaver, who was with his partner Gerry Stejskal, said that he likes to eat apples. "I cook, but not a lot," he added.
It was Sam who is apparently more into using apples as an ingredient in her recipes.
"It's fun to buy apples. I like to cook, and I like to eat them. A lot of times, I make cobblers. You see varieties here that you don't normally see," she said.
Those who wish to contact St. John's United Methodist Church may reach them at stjaiken.org or 803-648-6891 and 803-648-4745. The church is located at 104 Newberry St. NW, Aiken, S.C.
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