Caleb Nickerson
SHAWVILLE Nov. 16, 2017
On Thursday evening, hundreds of people gathered at Shawville United Church to peruse Christmas crafts and confections before tucking into a hearty dinner.
The annual bazaar and dinner has been going on for over 50 years and the massive undertaking is one of the highlights in the church’s calendar.

In the basement, volunteers presided over several tables filled with decorations and baked goods. Claire Park, who helps organize the bazaar, said that it takes a lot of effort on the part of the volunteers.
“I spent all week here preparing,” she said. “It’s the [culmination] of a lot of hard work.”
Upstairs, a crowd was swelling in the sanctuary as they waited for suppertime.
Larry Coleman, who was handling tickets at the door, said that he had already sold close to 200 and the real dinner rush had yet to arrive.
The kitchen and dining hall were a flurry of activity, as volunteers prepared to feed an estimated 400 people. Organizer Elaine Lang estimated that over 100 volunteers come together to put the evening on, most of them from the United Church congregation.
“Everybody wants to be here,” she said. “Everyone wants to help.”