FUNdraising

Record weekends at Hilton AppleFest, Photo Finish 5K

Lines formed in front of our food booth during good weather on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the annual Hilton AppleFest. (Photo by Katie Kimble)

HILTON, NY — Climbing For Christ hosted a food booth for the sixth straight year at the AppleFest in our ministry hometown of Hilton, NY, USA on Saturday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012. The festival — celebrating the ginormous apple harvest in Western New York — attracts thousands of visitors each year. And, praise God, this was a record AppleFest for Climbing For Christ!

Thanks to three dozen volunteers, His ministry netted nearly $6,100, which breaks our previous best of $5,457.05 in 2010.

Our food booth served up the usual — and popular — menu of pulled pork sandwiches, mountain-fresh smoothies, “Walking Tacos” (taco fixings in a Dorito bag), hot caramel apple cider, and chai.

We were blessed by the many servants hearts who helped: Lori and Sarah Bly; Mark, Zach and Leanne Bohn; Dave Cahill; Dave Devos; Mark Eiwen; Elaine and Gary Fallesen; Brian, Erica and Sandy Kabat; Kevin, Laurie and Katie Kimble; Mary Lindsay; Holly Mabee; Dean Marsaw; Charlie and Chris Martella; Lizzie and Hank Przyklek; Jaime, Jordan and Michelle Rowley; Frank Shepardson; Pat and Joel Slesak; Lauren, Morgan and Dave Stoessel; Barb and Jess Swanson; Meredith Thomas, and George Williams.

Team C4C 2012 (left to right): Jordan Rowley, Gary and Elaine Fallesen, and Jaime and Justin Rowley before the second Photo Finish 5K.

ROCHESTER, NY — Team C4C may have been nearly half the size as the inaugural Photo Finish 5K, but the runners raised twice as much support at the second annual philanthropy challenge on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012. Five runners participated in the 3.1-mile race with Justin Rowley producing the best time of the Climbing For Christ members and teammates Gary and Elaine Fallesen, Jaime and Jordan Rowley, and Mark Eiwen combining to raise $2,475 (just $25 shy of the goal).

Heinz Kepplinger, a friend of the ministry, represented the team by wearing C4C colors and racing to an age-group victory and finishing 19th overall in 21:22 in a cold (48-degree), rainy morning.

Our thanks to all who supported Team C4C 2012 in prayer and giving!