The Corner Table Executive Director Summer Jenkins labels boxes of candy tins. Jenkins has been working with the nonprofit for 11 years.
XAVIER MARTIN
They call her "The Peanut Butter Girl." Carla Hafer is one of more than 50 volunteers and staff at The Corner Table in Newton who come together each December to prepare and package orders of candy tins as a fundraiser for the nonprofit that provides meals to those in need.
This year, the group sold 930 tins. The group started taking candy orders on Oct. 1 and surpassed 900 requests by Nov. 8.
The fundraiser brought in $18,600 to support the community kitchen and its meal programs.
Hafer has been volunteering with The Corner Table for eight years.
"It keeps me busy, and I like to cook. I like to be with people and I feel like I'm giving back to the Lord," Hafer said.
Nicknamed "The Peanut Butter Girl," she is one of the few volunteers that began preparing sweets prior to Dec. 9. The week before, Hafer prepared and chilled the peanut butter ball batter, rolled it into balls and froze it to get it ready for volunteers to submerge the candy into a chocolate coating.
People are also reading... Man shot, killed at Lentz Road home in Marion. One man arrested. Marion man faces multiple drug charges after traffic stop turns up fentanyl, cocaine 110 pounds of meth seized in McDowell County. It's the largest bust in county history More than 2,000 homes in McDowell County may get expanded high-speed internet Centro Unido's leader to take 6-month sabbatical to recharge and return with clarity McDowell Schools alum Will Kehler grew up in Marion, now leading county EMS McDowell County getting new parks and recreation director McDowell County starting $4.2 million waterline expansion in Nebo area Old Fort's new nativity scene offers sign of hope to Old Fort McDowell Tech students can now enter program that guarantees admission to App State Where are debris pickup crews working in McDowell County? There are 60 soil removal trucks in Old Fort NC conference realignment draft pairs McDowell High with Freedom, St. Stephens, South Caldwell Man shot, injured while breaking up fight in Crooked Creek area of Old Fort This is the last week of school for McDowell County. See other government closures for Christmas, New Year's McDowell County Schools gets new director of operations, auxiliary services and athletics
The tins are filled with homemade chocolate fudge, white chocolate Christmas crackle (a famous salty sweet treat, according to The Corner Table's website), peppermint bark, and peanut butter balls. Getting the tins filled and ready is an intense four-day process that ended on Dec. 13.
"We have companies that buy them, that ship them to their customers," Executive Director Summer Jenkins said. "We have people that buy them for themselves, or people that buy for their neighbors."
She added, "They make really good gifts."
The fundraiser has been in place for 11 years and has grown in popularity.
"Most of our customers are repeat customers. So the only way you really get to get your candy tins is either we increase our numbers or you got your order in before somebody from a past order," Jenkins said.
4 days, many volunteers
On the first day of production, The Corner Table welcomed the help of 50 volunteers to prepare and pack the confections.
Many of the volunteers return each year because of the sense of community they have within the kitchen and the joy they get from helping others.
Teri Peppers, 61, has been volunteering with The Corner Table for eight years. Her motivation to serve others was passed down from her parents.
"I've watched my father volunteer for over 30 years. He volunteers at CCM, and he and my mother have always been very charitable, donating, participating, and I've seen it all my life. So this just seemed like a good opportunity for me to kind of fall in with what they've always done and what they would want me to do," Peppers said.
"There's such a good camaraderie, which you've seen between all of us," Peppers said. "If you can't have fun, you shouldn't be here."
The Corner Table Board President Kim Bolick prepares the fudge. In two days, she had 137 pans of fudge completed. Bolick has been working with the nonprofit 10 years.
"I might start my own chocolate factory," she said.
What is The Corner Table?
The community kitchen provides lunch for guests weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. An average of 20 volunteers cook and serve the meals every day.
In addition to their community kitchen, The Corner Table serves the community through a backpack program and the Debbie Payseur Frozen Meals program to feed those in need.
On Dec. 21, The Corner Table is partnering with First United Methodist Church of Newton to distribute family food bags, toiletry kits and toys for children. The event, called Christmas on the Corner, is 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., and a barbecue lunch will be served.
Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.