A popular fundraising bake sale long hosted by Ellijay Good Samaritan Catholic Church will not take place this year, the church has decided.
For almost 14 years, the Christmas Cookie Walk has served as both a festive pop-up shopping opportunity and a fundraiser for the downtown Ellijay church’s youth group.
“We use it for them to go on a mission trip in the summer. They stay in the southeastern U.S. and do a week of work for a stewardship project. They didn’t go this summer, but last year they were in Miami, Fla. They were supposed to go to Tennessee this year,” noted Judy Fabiniak, a Good Samaritan parishioner who signed up to be event chair for the 2020 Cookie Walk.
The event, at which attendees fill boxes with freshly-prepared cookies made by church parishioners, would normally be held the second or third weekend in December.
“Most of our parish is elderly, and it’s not a good time for them to (hold an event), with COVID and the flu,” Fabiniak said.
This past September, the downtown Ellijay church also decided to cancel its two-day fall flea market at the Lions Club Fairgrounds, again due to the ongoing pandemic.
The well-attended flea market usually benefits three Good Samaritan causes that operate locally: the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization, Society of St. Vincent de Paul outreach efforts and the church youth group.
Parishioners are hoping they will be able to have a flea market or other sale event sometime in spring, Fabiniak noted.
“We are looking forward to spring with a COVID-free environment. Hopefully, we will also start (having) our fish fries again in the spring,” she added.