With a giggle and a grin Bev Somers plops a berry onto a fresh whip-creamed portion of cake. The dollop of cream came at the capable hands of Donna Brandle and before that, Barb Gossman cut the cake and doled out the berries.
They are the young-at-heart type of women who refer to themselves as B次元官网网址渢he girlsB次元官网网址� who started the Strawberry Tea three decades ago.
B次元官网网址淲hen I first moved to the West Shore I didnB次元官网网址檛 have very many friends,B次元官网网址� Somers said. B次元官网网址淪o I joined this church.B次元官网网址�
The trio, along with Darleen Terlson, started as friends in the young mothers group that met on Thursday mornings.
B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 have a nursery and we didnB次元官网网址檛 have funds, so we started this fundraiser,B次元官网网址� Gossman said. This year, the 28th at ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 Church of the Advent (the first two were held in St. John the Baptist), is the 30th consecutive strawberry tea.
They attribute longevity to friendship and fun.
B次元官网网址淵ou have to have champions. We persevered and believed in it,B次元官网网址� Brandle said.
It started with serving 50 slices of cake on a Thursday afternoon. Now they require 50 volunteers, working in shifts, to feed the masses.
B次元官网网址淲e have had up to 500 but we usually serve about 300,B次元官网网址� Brandle said of the now weekend event.
The tea, with craft sale added a couple decades ago, is as much about camaraderie and inclusion as fundraising.
B次元官网网址淪ome people you see and you donB次元官网网址檛 get to know them. When you work with them you get to know them,B次元官网网址� said Gossman.
B次元官网网址淎ll ages get involved,B次元官网网址� Brandle said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a real draw I think.B次元官网网址�
With the nursery built long ago, the money now goes into general coffers for things like youth programs. B次元官网网址淲e also try to support outside of our church, like Compassionate Warehouse or the food bank,B次元官网网址� Brandle added. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not just thinking of ourselves.B次元官网网址�
The Strawberry Tea and Craft Fair is Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Church of the Advent, 510 Mount View Rd. in Colwood.
