PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The bake sale at each year’s fair is always the most popular.

MERRITT ISLAND – St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Merritt Island is a small church that tries to serve not only its parishioners, but also neighboring communities. For 33 years and counting it has held a Holiday Fair and Quilt Raffle, with all proceeds benefitting the Sharing Center of Central Brevard.

But preparing for the Holiday Fair and Quilt Raffle is not simply a seasonal adventure at St. Luke’s, located at 5555 N. Tropical Trail, five miles north of the Barge Canal. Parishioners and others all year long gather antique items and old books for the event. Gorgeous quilts are raffled off, while others grow plants during Florida’s year-long pleasant climate for a plant sale.

Congregation members really step up, though, for the baked sale. Women and men, alike, prepare oodles of scrumptious goods that are always a big draw for attendees.

“I would like to thank everyone who works and supports this important outreach with special thanks to Pam Zeitler and Sherrill Stramara, who organized the event in November 2017,” says Rev. Peter Roberts, rector. “Through the Central Brevard Sharing Center, we can help some of the most deprived people in our community, many who are unable to get other assistance.”

St. Luke’s volunteers ready plants to be sold at the fair.

In addition to the many treasures, plants, books, crafts, food and more at the fair, attendees and their children can enjoy a wide variety of entertainment. The fair in the past has offered a paintball range, bounce houses, face painting, pony rides and more. Also, the church’s historic chapel is open to tour.

The fair’s diverse offerings were a big reason why more than $7,500 was raised in 2017 for the Central Brevard Sharing Center. The quilt raffle, itself, is an integral part of the Holiday Fair. Through the years, the raffled quilts have come from multiple sources as members of the congregation have made or donated them or sought donations from the community at large. Occasionally, a quilt was purchased and then raffled.

Seven years ago, Joan Bartuska volunteered to source the quilts and did so for two years. After speaking with her friend and fellow church member, Paula Allen, who is a quilter, they decided to make the quilts.

“She pointed out that we have a lot of talent in this congregation,” Bartuska said. “We talked with Geri Bonavito, another quilter in our congregation, and she agreed to help us.”

The Cottages By the Sea quilt was raffled at the 2017 fair.

The quilters depend on the donated money and time of the congregation to get the quilts made. Usually, there are five to eight workers on that year’s quilt. “We put a lot of love and laughter into our quilts,” said Allen.

The marketing of the quilt has become a community effort. “We try very hard to reach as much of the community as we can to offer the raffle tickets. Our sources for ticket sales are individual church members, friends, and families. We have two “bucket drop” days at Publix Supermarkets,” said Bartuska. “In the last two years, we have reached out to other churches and to community organizations that also support the Sharing Center. They sold tickets and gave us a table at their picnic. The Sharing Center of Central Brevard also sells tickets at their thrift shops.”

Ticket sales for the 2017 quilt brought in $2,500, the most tickets ever sold.

For more information, call the church office at 321-452-5260.