Don't let the temperature outside fool you. It's Christmas at Mary Mother of the Church, 625 Union School Road, Mount Joy. The church will hold its second annual Christmas in July bazaar from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 16.
"A lot of people were surprised when we moved our annual bazaar from the fall to the summer last year," said Claudia Basener, who is organizing the event with Barbara Clingenpeel and Katie Hostetter. "It was so well received. We had about 1,000 people come through."
Like last year's event, the bazaar will feature two community-based projects. Stuff the Bus will include a collection of school supplies for children in kindergarten through grade 12, along with unisex sweatshirts and sweatpants for children and adults in sizes small through extra large. Socks for children in kindergarten through grade five will also be collected. The items will be dispersed to Donegal, Elizabethtown, Hempfield and Columbia Borough school districts. A food bank collection will also be held during the bazaar to benefit the Mount Joy Food Bank and the East Donegal-Conoy Area Christian Food Bank. Donations of non-expired food items as well as grocery store gift cards will be accepted. Basener noted that anyone who donates three items will receive three tickets for a basket giveaway at the bazaar.
Items up for grabs will include a variety of family fun activities such as tickets to Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, Dorney Park, Laserdome and Go 'N Bananas Family Fun Center. More than 20 vendors will be on-site for the bazaar, including Made by MMOC, which will feature items created by members of the parish. A silent auction will also be held, with a showcase item of a live-edge wood bench and end table made by a parish member.
Breakfast and lunch items will be available for purchase, including Miller's chicken barbecue. Preorders for the barbecue are due by Saturday, July 9, and may be placed by calling the parish at 717-653-4903. A limited number of barbecue meals will be available for purchase at the bazaar.
Proceeds from the bazaar will be used to support community organizations, Basener said, including local police and fire departments.
"It's a really fun family day," Basener said of the bazaar. "There's a children's play area and kids can win prizes. We'll have live music this year as well. It's just a nice day to be with the Lancaster community and share some fellowship."
For more information on the bazaar, visit http://www.marymotherparish.org.
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