Homemade ice cream, car show and crafts at Habitat festival

FARMINGTON — Pastors James King, Ron Simmons and Charlie Hendrickson had some pretty cool jobs Saturday afternoon.

The three had the duty of judging the homemade ice cream contest at St. Paul Lutheran Church’s festival that raised funds for a Habitat for Humanity house.

There were seven ice cream entries, including chocolate chip, strawberry, peach, and cherry. Church member Darlene McWilliams made her tutti-frutti ice cream which she makes year-round.

The pastors picked Vicky and Edgar Nash’s peach ice cream as the top, followed by JoAnn Henderson and Leslie Jones’ strawberry ice cream and then the Chambliss Family’s chocolate chip.

King, a self-proclaimed ice cream connoisseur, liked all of the ice creams. It was his first time judging ice creams, though.

“They were all good,” said King, the pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Farmington. “One was really sweet.”

After the judging, bowls of ice cream were sold for $2 a piece. For others with a sweet tooth, there was a bake sale inside. There was also a fish fry.

Other activities include music, miniature golf, craft booths, and a car show. A shiny red 1958 Chevrolet Impala owned by Gary LaRose of rural Fredericktown received the Pastor’s award.

The festival wasn’t well-attended but organizers were happy with the way it went.

Saturday’s festival was the first time anyone has had a festival to raise money for Habitat for Humanity of St. Francois County. Thrivent for Lutherans is sponsoring the house being built for Cindy Dotson in Farmington.

The local Habitat applied for and received a $61,000 grant through the Thrivent Builds program through Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. That grant covered 65 percent of Habitat’s cost to build the home.

An additional 10 percent came from the Local Thrivent chapter and Lutheran church congregations, while the remaining 25 percent must be raised by Habitat for Humanity of St. Francois County.

In addition, 50 percent of the volunteer labor for the building of the house consisted of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans members.

Construction began in March. Doug Pratt, a representative for the area Thrivent Builds, said construction is 99 percent complete. The dedication will be held on Sept. 13.

Pratt said they need to raise $6,500 by November to pay contractors. Another Habitat for Humanity fundraiser — a wine-tasting — will be held from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Nov. 6, also at St. Paul Lutheran.

He said this is Thrivent Builds’ first house project. He said due to the success, they plan to work with Habitat again.

Church members said the church will have their annual Country Store event on Oct. 24.

Teresa Ressel is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 179 or at tressel@dailyjournalonline.com.