Two Elgin churches give back to the community with Oct. 20 fundraising events
In a unique move, two Elgin churches located at the intersection of Randall Road and Highland Avenue are working together to promote their individual fundraising events on Saturday, Oct. 20.
Believing there is strength in numbers, St. Hugh of Lincoln Episcopal Church staff contacted the pastor at Epworth United Methodist Church in July to see if there was interest in combining publicity efforts for their same-day fundraisers.
Soon after, event coordinators from each church met and upon seeing the value in expanding each other's potential pool of shoppers, developed a plan to cross promote to one another's congregations and to the Fox Valley area.
Sandy Kaptain, an event coordinator from Epworth, said, "After our first meeting, we were very comfortable in seeing that the differences in each of our events would encourage shoppers to visit both churches simply by driving from one parking lot to the other."
For instance, Epworth's "Gingerbread Bazaar" will feature 40 vendors showcasing assorted handcrafted items, along with a church bake sale, a $5 lunch menu and complimentary gingerbread and cider from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Across the street at St. Hugh, the "Tea & Treasures" event will offer a mix of old and new household and personal items with an emphasis on vintage and retro décor, as well as one-of-a-kind pottery and serving pieces, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Handcrafted items by church members will also be featured, as well as a quaint "tea room" where shoppers can enjoy an herbal tea and cookie break.
According to Linda Youngren of the St. Hugh women's group hosting the event, "Our two churches may differ in the structure of our Sunday services but the overall goal for the Oct. 20 fundraisers is very similar.
"Proceeds from both events will be used to support a variety of local ministries in Elgin and the surrounding area," Youngren said. "Essentially, we will be giving back to the community what we bring in on that day."
Both church coordinators agree if this partnership is successful, in the future, competition by neighboring churches might be replaced by collaboration on projects that will benefit the community and meet the fundraising goals of each.
For more information, email St. Hugh at sthugh@sbcglobal.net and Epworth United Methodist Church at office@eumcelgin.org.