FORTVILLE — In one country, it may look like an influx of refugees. In another, it may look like withered, barren fields dry from drought. In still another, living conditions are poor and poverty is widespread.
The reasons why people are hungry may differ from country to country, but an upcoming event in Fortville is designed to help meet those needs.
The annual Harvest of Talents is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 10 at Fortville Christian Church, 9450 N. County Road 200W, Fortville.
What’s “harvested” or gathered up during the event is people’s various talents — such as woodworking, sewing, painting or baking — in producing items that can be sold in an arts and crafts sale or bid on in silent or live auctions. Those who go can choose from, or they can bid in a silent auction on gift cards for restaurant meals, hotel stays, massages and more. The live auction outside under a tent will feature furniture such as desks, chairs and barstools; antique; collectibles including antique dolls; and other items.
“I think we’ve got a lot of good stuff to bring people in,” said organizer Brenda Ayers.
The money from those purchases goes to Noblesville-based International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES), which sends it to feeding programs in several countries.
Other facets of the Fortville event are a car show seeking entries, and meals available for purchase. Those strolling the items for purchase can also buy breakfast in the morning: biscuits and gravy, homemade cinnamon rolls and fruit. The lunch menu features barbecue, baked beans, chips, coleslaw and a cookie.
“We’ve also got what we call our ‘this and that’ room, which is more of a nice garage sale,” Ayres said.
Last year’s event raised more than $20,000, a record for the event that began happening in Fortville in 2017. Organizers hope to surpass that this year.
Whatever they raise will be part of a larger Harvest of Talents total of several churches in Indiana and Illinois who put on the event. Together they raise nearly $200,000 a year for feeding programs, said Rita Camden, finance director at IDES.
Camden has helped out at many churches’ Harvest of Talents events and has seen many stories of creativity and generosity. She’s see from a couple in Illinois who can “take junk and turn it into treasure,” she said, such as fashioning a unique lamp from a teapot and donating it to be sold. She’s seen a pie from a congregation’s well-regarded baker raffled off and raising hundreds of dollars.
She’s met a couple who liked to make different flavors of jelly to sell at their church’s event, and their friends would give fruit to them when it was in season. “They’d come home from somewhere, and there’d be a big basket of fruit on their porch.”
Camden emphasizes that items and food for Harvest of Talents are donated by the people of the church; they pay for putting on the event. The money raised goes to IDES, which already is supported by churches. IDES then sends it to mission groups in other countries who, likewise, already have their own financial support structure in place, she said. She said all of that means every dollar spent at the Fortville event will buy food.
“There’s no overhead taken out of it,” she said. “It’s all used for food.”
Ayers echoed that thought. “Everything we have — food, all of our crafts, everything — is donated,” she said. “We don’t spend a dime” of money raised on event costs.
Thinking of their dollars going to feed people can really motivate people, Camden said. At one church’s event she saw a young couple outbid on a handmade dress that would fit their 2-year-old daughter … but then the winning bidder walked over and gave the couple the dress.
“It was hundreds of dollars, and they just gave it away,” she said. “That’s the kind of people who get into the Harvest — people giving and giving and giving, and it’s so amazing to watch.”
IF YOU GO
The sixth annual Harvest of Talents fundraiser is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 10 at Fortville Christian Church, 9450 N. County Road 200W.
The event raises money for International Disaster Emergency Service feeding programs in Haiti, India, Kenya, Kosovo, Myanmar and Tanzania.
Decor, furniture and other items will be for sale. A silent auction will feature gift cards from area businesses.
A live auction takes place at 2:30 p.m. under a tent outside.
Breakfast will be available at 9 a.m. and lunch at 11:30 a.m.
Car show registration runs from 9 a.m. to noon, with awards given at 3 p.m. Entry fee is $20.
Humana will have a truck at the car show with information about Medicare options.
Information: 317-485-4934; www.fortvillechristian.com
HOW IT BEGAN
The Harvest of Talents concept dates back to 1983, when a woman in Illinois was moved by a sermon about world hunger. She urged fellow church members to join her in offering their talents at an event, with all of the funds raised going to feed the hungry.
For a couple of years, members of Fortville Christian Church helped make items that were sold at other churches’ Harvest of Talent events. In 2017, they began organizing such an annual event in Fortville.
