Among the contests, exhibits, rides, and ticket booths – the one thing that won’t be found at the Oley Valley Community Fair are food vendors and midways. The reason for that is because, every year, more than a dozen local churches and their congregations come together to prepare and serve home-style food at the fair.
Fair President Kevin Bieber said there’s anywhere from 18-21 churches that come take shifts during the three days of the fair. “We compensate them with a contribution after the fair, based on how the fair did and also how many volunteers they brought to their shift. That’s been a tradition for years.”
Cindy Richard, a member at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, said “Our church has been volunteering in the hamburger stand on Friday’s from 9 to 5, since they first asked for the churches to help them out.” She explained how the church has their regulars that look forward to attending our time slot every year, just as she knows all the other churches could also name their faithful members.
“Some of our members work multiple days within the various food stands. Others will volunteer their time in the membership booth and other areas,” said Richard. “Having a time slot during the time of a normal work day does make it challenging at times to get the working age people to attend, but it always amazes me how many are willing to take a day off from work to help out.”
According to Richard, her church has a large percentage of retired members that volunteer each year, eager to do the jobs they have been doing for years.
“Most of the jobs require the individuals to stand for hours, such as working the fryer, handing the food to the recipient, or counting the tickets for each item sold. We have members that are 70 years old and above, that still are willing to work our entire shift, and more, standing the whole time.” She listed other jobs, such as preparing rolls or stacking cheese, which don’t require long periods of standing. “So there is always a job for each individual.”
She said she believes working at the fair has a different feel to it than when the church is running its own event, she believes it is less stressful; there’s no particular person in charge.
“All you have to do is show up, work your shift at the designated area, and leave when your shift is up. You get to work with alongside of our friends and talk as you work and before you know it the time has passed and the next church is entering for their shift.”
Richard said she would be remised if she did not mention the church had a very faithful pastor to the Oley Community Fair.
“Pastor Robert Mitchell was always willing to sit in the ticket booth handing out food tickets. He did this every year for at least 30 years of his living in the valley.” She added how he always spoke fondly of his hours spent in the booth counting out tickets all day long; the booths have since been replaced.
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church is just one of the many, many churches with members serving as volunteers at the fair.
