St. Gabriel reaps benefits from harvest festival MOUND BAYOU — Even though final expenses and donations are still coming in for the St. Gabriel Mercy Center Harvest Festival held Saturday, Nov. 7, Sister Donald Mary Lynch, RSM, said this year’s event was the largest so far. “We should gross $20,400 and net $18,300,” said Sister Donald, director of the center, which is a project of the Sisters of Mercy of the St. Louis Province.
“Our expenses were less than last year but we still have the expense for prize money, food and some labor for set up and take down,” she said. “We are pleased with our results.”
The net, which is slightly better than last year, will be equally split between St. Gabriel Parish and St. Gabriel Mercy Center, Sister Lynch said.
The festival originated from an annual raffle when St. Gabriel still operated an early childhood center in the 1990s, she said.
“We definitely had more people to attend this year and they stayed longer,” she said. The festival was held from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
In addition to the usual games, raffle, cake walk and the Christmas Booth, which sold new and slightly used clothes, holiday items, kitchen and household items, two new booths — a bean bag toss and a Spin Art machine — were added this year.
Donations were received from the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy, and from several pastors at parishes in the Mississippi Delta. Raffle tickets were purchased by parishioners at Cleveland Our Lady of Victories, Shaw St. Francis of Assisi and Shelby St. Mary parishes.
Photos/text by Fabvienen Taylor
“We should gross $20,400 and net $18,300,” said Sister Donald, director of the center, which is a project of the Sisters of Mercy of the St. Louis Province.
