Articles

Tabernacle Baptist Pre-Women’s Day Bazaar

Category: Lifestyle Published on Wednesday, 11 July 2012 10:04 Written by Courier Newsroom

BEAVER COUNTY—The first bazaar at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Beaver Falls, June 16, treated visitors from many area communities to a beautiful, sun drenched day of food, activities and fellowship.

TABERNACLE BOOTH—Beverly Broadie, Rosetta Slappy and Esther Tillman serve hot dogs, sausages and beverages. (Photos by Joby Brown)

The event, sponsored by the Women’s Day Committee, was held to help raise money for the July 15 annual Women’s Day program. The mini-festival attracted people from Beaver, Allegheny and Lawrence Counties to the church grounds, parking lot and a section of Third Avenue, where tents, booths, grills and tables were set up. Many area business owners and churches sold food, jewelry and clothing, while games and contests were held for young and old.

The bazaar, which went on from 11 a.m. until sunset, featured a variety of food, including barbecued rib and chicken dinners, hot dogs and sausage sandwiches, bean pies, snow cones and assorted beverages. One of the highlights was the giveaway of a boys and girls bicycle. A kissing booth was run by Min. Esther White and Liz Dawson of the host church; the kisses sold were in the form of a small cup of Hershey’s Kisses. Rick Jones of Lifeway Christian Fellowship Church, delighted the audience with a great comedic impersonation of Michael Buffer as he introduced the contestants of the watermelon eating contest, which was won by Troy Nesmith, of Beaver Falls.

Shaun LaVette, a local disc jockey, provided music and operated sound for the Christian artists who performed. Recording artists, Re-Konception! and Debbie Tucker, of Beaver Falls, and Linda McCuen, of Midland, rendered selections. Other featured artists were guitarist, Lonzie Cox, Shiela Carter and the Tabernacle Male Chorus. Extraordinary saxophonist, Derrick Redd, of Aliquippa, one of the Pittsburgh areas most accomplished musicians, brought the house down with his renditions of “Praise Is What I Do,” “Stand,” “We Fall Down” and many other gospel classics during his half hour set. Neighbors who live within a four block radius stated how much they enjoyed the music even though they weren’t able to attend.

The church parking lot, the adjacent grassy knoll, and a blocked off section of the street in front of the church housed a dozen or more booths, where vendors sold their wares. The women of Tabernacle ran a booth that had hot dogs, sausage and beverages. Leon Cleckley and Cliff Alford, both Beaver Falls merchants, offered men’s shirts, ties and accessories. Sandra Evans of Silpada Sterling Silver Jewelry and Sheena Donovan, of Aliquippa, had jewelry booths. Minister Roosevelt Jones, Carolyn and James Lay of Aliquippa’s Deliverance Temple sold T-shirts. George Dudley, Legusta Smith and others also operated booths.

The event was conceived and directed by Linda Williams, the Women’s Day Committee Chairperson. Bazaar co-chair, SuAnn Scott, stated, that the event was organized to raise funds for the annual Women’s Day service. Scott also said, “July 15 is Women’s Day. Linda Williams came up with the idea for the bazaar. I’m one of the captains, so she put each captain in charge of one of the fund raisers. This just happens to be the one she put me in charge of.” When asked how successful the event was, Scott said, “it’s nice, it’s nice, it’s really nice, but I’m hoping to see even more people out there before eight o’clock.” When asked if there might be another bazaar, she replied, “it depends on how much this brings in, we’re having fun, but we’re doing it because we need to raise money (for the Women’s Day service) with this event.” She went on to explain that the amount of success achieved today will be considered in deciding whether to have another festival like this. She didn’t elaborate on any future fundraisers the committee is planning.