Baking connoisseurs everywhere will be able to attend the Richwood United Methodist Church (UMC) peach festival set to take place on Saturday Aug. 13 at the fellowship hall on Richwood Road in Mullica Hill from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
There will be a dessert buffet filled with all kinds of delicious sweets like peaches, peach ice cream, and peach cookies.
“Proceeds benefit the church to help pay for the (fellowship) hall which is used by the community as well as the church,” said Richwood Church administrator Mildred Herman. “It’s all-you-can-eat and tickets are $9 for adults and $5 for kids. Last year we made 65 pies.
“In addition,” said Herman, “You can purchase a hot sandwich platter: pulled pork, sloppy Joe, or hot dog. There will also be a bake table featuring homemade peach jam, pies, cakes and more.”
People can preorder the main dessert dish, peach crumb pie, for $13 by either filling out a form at the church itself or by calling their office phone at (856) 589-0874. This serves as an alternative for people who cannot attend the event and the way Herman recommended people get pies this year. People can also stay for both dinner and dessert or just one or the other.
Though Richwood UMC are the ones running the event, they are also looking for volunteers for help providing food for the serving line and bake table, baking pies and to help set up. Volunteers can help set up the day before the event on Aug. 12 at 9:00 a.m.
“If someone wants to help,” said Mildred, “they can call the office and we will find a job for them to do.”
The festival has been going strong for around 20 years and was first started as a means to help pay for the construction of the fellowship hall, which was built in 2007. Around 200 people attend the peach festival each year. Other funds raised go toward helping Mullica Hill run other things such as Narcotics Anonymous and to help with blood drives.
“This is peach country after all,” said Herman, “So why not utilize them in a fundraiser?”
For more information, be sure to check out Richwood UMC’s website and their Facebook page to keep up with any updates regarding the festival and for the church itself.