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Fresh Apple Pie Auctioned for $110.00 to Support Homeless Charity
Fresh Apple Pie Auctioned for $110.00 to Support Homeless Charity
Ashburn Presbyterian Raised $7,500 during 3rd Annual Dinner/Silent Auction/Pie Auction
Good Shepherd Alliance (GSA) Celebrates its 25th Anniversary of Helping the Homeless
Ashburn Presbyterian Church (APC), established near Farmwell Station in 1876 held a fundraiser for Good Shepherd Alliance (GSA) in Ashburn Village on Saturday October 25. The congregation of 450 members began this type of fundraiser event in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina. Ashburn Presbyterian held 2006 & 2007 fundraisers benefiting Habitat for Humanity to aid their rebuilding efforts in Biloxi, Mississippi. Several members/families traveled to Biloxi to help with Habitat for Humanity/Hurricane Katrina rebuilding efforts over the course of 2 years. APC is located in Old Town Ashburn on Ashburn Road south of the W & OD trail.
Recently their Missions Ministry Team decided to focus efforts closer to home and selected GSA to receive this year’s fundraising (Mission Elder: Tim Schroeder; Mission Team Members included: Mike & Julie Throne, Laurie Uhl and many others who assisted in this project).
The 3rd Annual Dinner/Silent Auction/Pie Auction raised approximately $7,500.00 for the Good Shepherd Alliance homeless programs. The event featured live Rhythm & Blues music, a southern barbecue dinner, silent auction and an old fashioned pie auction. The Silent Auction featured 60 items donated by local businesses as well as church members and also included autographed memorabilia from the Washington Redskins. Approximately 45 pies were donated for this very worthy cause.
Dawn Manausas’ $110.00 fresh apple pie was not some secret family recipe. The recipe for “Fresh Apple Pie” actually came from her dog-eared, stained, beloved Betty Crocker Cook Book that was received as a bridal shower gift 26 years ago. Dawn’s mom never taught her to bake so she taught herself. She makes her pies from scratch – including the pie crust. (No Pillsbury Dough Boy is ever present in the baking of this pie, except perhaps in the flour itself.) Her first few attempts were anything but pretty. The pie crust has taken her 26 years to perfect, and it’s still not bakery window quality.
But as her husband will tell you, it’s the real deal. That is probably why he kept raising the bid at the auction. Dawn kept insisting that she would bake him another one, but he couldn’t be dissuaded. It didn’t matter that he was bidding against a mother and her 16-year-old daughter – he wanted that pie. It was her first pie of the season which is often the best. He finally gave up when the bidding reached $80 or so. Dawn’s friend Bonnie and her daughter Candace were the proud winners of the pie and happily paid $110 for the special treat. Alas, her husband went home pie-less.
Dawn and her husband, Neil have been members at APC since 1999. They moved to Ashburn from Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1998 and the APC congregation became their new family. Dawn stated that “They have seen us through the best and worst of times and we love them dearly. They were there to help us through illness, surgeries, and most recently, my husband’s unemployment after 10 years at USA Today. And they were there beside us when we renewed our wedding vows for our 25th Anniversary in July 2007. If I could, I would bake each one of them a pie.”
Dawn informed me that “my hubby did get his apple pie. I woke up early on Sunday morning after the auction and baked one before he came downstairs. It was my best one yet. (Sorry, Bonnie.)”
Annual Dinner/Silent Auction/Pie Auction Drew 130 People. Photo by Art Nevin
The GSA is thankful to Ashburn Presbyterian for partnering with us to celebrate GSA’s 25th Anniversary of helping the homeless and the 130 people who attended this special evening of entertainment and fundraising. The GSA Ministry began 25 years ago in a pastors home, manages three shelters with a total of a 36 beds and continues to seek the support of the Church and business community. Both GSA Board Chair Joy Trickett and and GSA Board Member and Broad Run Public School Representative Bob Ohneiser were on hand to thank the church congregation for their tremendous support.God’s grace is great.
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