The annual Harvest Bake Sale and Luncheon that takes place at Central United Methodist Church in Mount Airy every autumn, the most recent one on Wednesday, Nov. 15, has been going on for so long, no one seems to be able to remember how long it’s been around.
“At least 30 years,” said Ellen Woltz, as she was checking out customers purchasing homemade entrées and sides from the freezer. “Maybe 40.”
The freezers and ice chests behind the counter are what set the United Methodist Women’s (UMW) bake sale at the church apart from others. It is, as their flyer proclaims, “Not just a Bake Sale.” There are “frozen gourmet entrées and sides.”
Alice Connolly selected cranberry relish, two kinds of soup, vegetable beef and Mexican bean, and collards with country ham. “That’s the big thing,” she said. “The collards.”
The collards sell out quickly. As do the baked goods. Not long after the sale began and long before lunch was served — a luncheon served on the premises and available for takeout is part of the festivities — the table of baked goods was looking a little picked over.
Connolly said, “I try to come every year. I’m a member here and I try to support it.“ Connolly brought her 97-year-old mother, and they had lunch together with a table full of friends.
The luncheon, famous for its hot chicken salad, also features a cranberry congealed salad, vegetable pasta salad, a roll, and finishes up with pumpkin cake. Debbie Lyon is head chef and primary cook. As lunch was about to be served, “it’s crunch time,” was all she had to say.
Helen Pfitzner, UMW treasurer for Central Methodist, said of Lyon, “she’s amazing. She keeps everyone corralled.”
Sandy Smith, a member of Central, estimated more than 40 volunteers worked together to pull off the event. Aside from UMW members selling tickets, selling baked goods and prepared dishes, preparing and plating food and assembling takeout orders during the event, not to mention all of the prep work done prior to the event, their spouses were delivering lunches all over Mount Airy to homes and offices.
Norma Johnson, takeout chairman, said 131 plates had been pre-ordered for takeout. Later in the day, as a group of Mount Airy News staffers were finishing up some of those takeout plates in the company break room, Michelle Leftwich said of the hot chicken salad, “It’s so good.”
Helen Pfitzner, , said last year’s event raised $4000. It is the UMW’s primary fundraiser for the year. She says that although UMW distributes funds all over the world, this event raises money for local charities that help families and children here in this community.
ARC of Surry County, Children’s Center of Surry County, Friends Feeding Friends, Greater Mount Airy Habitat for Humanity, Hope Valley Treatment Center, Salvation Army Mount Airy Corps, Sheriff Atkinson Christmas Fund, Shepherd’s House, Surry Medical Ministries and Yokefellow Co-operative Ministries are the organizations that will benefit from Wednesday’s event.
