Habitat for Humanity’s second annual Nativity Festival, held Sunday at St Joseph Catholic Church and Parish Center, raised more than $7,500 that will go into next summer’s Helping Hands program to assist low income homeowners with needed home maintenance.
The day included a soup luncheon at the parish center with 45 nativity sets of all styles and sizes displayed around the perimeter of the room. Several nativity displays were available for purchase by silent auction. Kathy Walker coordinated the nativity displays.
Following the lunch, auctioneer Dale Higgins and Teresa Mobley coaxed bids on 15 pies donated by some of Greene County’s best bakers. A Banana Cream Angel Pie made by Gina Harrington of Jefferson raised the most money, with the high bidder paying $270 to take the pie home. An apple blueberry pie baked by Carla Offenburger raised $225. A triple berry pie baked by State Fair champion Marianne Carlson brought in $200. A total of $2,445 was raised through the nativity and pie auctions.
The afternoon concluded at the church with a concert of seasonal music shared by the church choirs of St. Joseph, Central Christian, First United Methodist chancel choir, the “Joyful Noise” women’s group from First Presbyterian, a quartet composed of Curt, Molly and Nic Nelson of Jefferson and Dave Harding of West Des Moines, and the St Joseph guitar group. Music ranged from “Silent Night” to boot-stomping country Christmas music by the Nelson/Harding “Ordinary Cowboys.” The first performance outside of a liturgy of a Magnificat written in 1986 by the late Doris McGregor with poetic lyrics by the late Justice David Harris was a highlight of the concert. That piece was performed by the St Joseph Choir. Church organist Rhena Lane provided gathering and exit music.
Habitat for Humanity board president Harry Ahrenholtz served as emcee for the concert. He noted that the acoustics in the church helped every choir sound large, regardless of its size. He also thanked Chuck Offenburger for his help in organizing the concert portion of the festival. (Scroll for more choir pictures.)
Free will offerings were accepted for the lunch and at the concert. A total of $2,268 was given.
Area banks – Community State Bank of Paton, Home State Bank of Jefferson, United Bank of Iowa/Churdan, and Peoples Trust & Savings Bank of Grand Junction, Jefferson, Rippey and Scranton – agreed to match up to a total of $2,800 in funds raised. With those matching funds, the total for the day was $7,513. Last year’s Nativity Festival raised $7,450.
Greene County Habitat for Humanity operates in partnership with the Boone County Habitat affiliate. That group had a fundraiser concert Sunday, without the companion lunch and Nativity displays. The Greene County event raised significantly more money, and according to Greene County board members, the Boone group is looking at modeling its fundraiser next year after the Greene County Nativity Festival.
Ahrenholtz thanked all who attended the festival on a cold, snowy day. “The total event was a great success and we’re very pleased with the contributions that were made,” he said.
