ARNOLD – Although the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home (MBCH) lost one layer of a roof during the May 31 tornado which hit north St. Louis County, it didn’t interfere with the 122nd Strawberry Festival. The Festival was held June 1 at First Baptist Church here.
“This is the second year that we’ve been able to hold the Strawberry Festival at First Church, Arnold,” said Bob Springate, MBCH vice president, public relations and development.
“On weather days like these, it becomes an abundant blessing to be at Arnold. We needed large expensive tents before to do the Festival and they would have been blown down in this storm. We lost three tents at a recent Apple Festival and it really is difficult to have the event without them.”
The Strawberry Festival continues to be a showplace for quilts as well as other woodworking and crafts. The items contributed are auctioned off during most of the day as a fundraiser for MBCH. In addition, everything strawberry is sold in concessions in addition to lunch food. The children are entertained in a children’s activity area, so the Festival becomes a family destination.
Kathy Garver, the actress who played “Cissy Davis” on the 1966-71 television series, Family Affair, made an appearance at the Strawberry Festival.
“She added a new element this year,” Springate said. “She is so vivacious and enthusiastic; she was wonderful to have as a guest.”
Springate shared that Garver auctioned off a “Mrs. Beasley” doll and a set of DVDs of the entire series of Family Affair to contribute to the fundraising efforts. The doll was a copy of the one carried on the series by the character, Buffy, who played Garver’s younger sister on the show.
“Kathy provided so much interest and discussion,” Springate said. “She sat at a table and visited with people all day.”
According to Springate, the Strawberry Festival is important to MBCH for two reasons.
“The first reason,” he said, “is the fundraising. The gift of quilts combined with our strawberries has been important to us for more than 100 years. The second reason is for people to find out who we are and what we are doing. The more people who know what we do for children, they can share it. People can let others know that help is available.”