MOOSOMIN — A local annual peach fundraiser has started for the summer.
Organizers from the Saskatchewan Gateway Anglican Parish, which includes churches in Moosomin and Rocanville, are selling 20-pound boxes of peaches for $50 each in support of raising money for their community church.
“Last year we sold 860 cases of peaches. After expenses we made over $8,000,” said Yvonne Down organizer of the peach fundraiser.
“The first year it went from 285 cases being sold, then 430 cases being sold in 2019, then 620 cases, then 780 cases in 2021, and up to 860.
“Every year it has grown and is different, the prices are going up all the time. When we first started selling them we were selling them at $35, which isn’t too bad because we only put them up by $15 since we first started selling them.”
The fresh peaches come directly from B.C. and are of great quality, said Down.
“We’ve had very good product. I’ve had people phone in and wondering if we’re still doing it because they’re good and it’s not really expensive,” she said.
“I ran into one lady in the store the other day and she said ‘I don’t want to have to look for what prices they are in the stores.’ We’re selling them at $50 for 20 pounds, that’s like $2.50 a pound. I don’t think they’ll be any cheaper than that in a store.”
With this being the sixth year for the successful fundraiser, she explained how the community came up with the idea.
“Reverend Doctor Trish McCarthy, she was here for several years, and she wanted us to try the peach fundraiser because she had been involved at the church in Regina and they did it there,” said Down.
“We decided to try it and in the first year we sold 285 cases, which is pretty good for small-town Moosomin.”
She explained how the fundraiser helps support their group.
“We have a small number of people, but we have big expenses,” said Down.
“This is for Rocanville and Moosomin, both churches are involved. It helps to pay for our power, electricity, water, gas and maintenance. We’re looking at doing the roof on our church in Moosomin this year.”
The deadline to place orders for peaches is Wednesday, August 16. Down said people must have a physical copy of their tickets to pick up their peaches on the delivery day.
The pickup date for peaches will be on Saturday, August 26 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Alban’s Church in Moosomin and St. Thomas Church in Rocanville.