Trinity Lutheran Church will hold its annual Peach Festival July 19. The festival, in its 22nd year, will sell Chilton County peaches, as well as peach cobblers and pies, in the church's fellowship hall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Patricia Schroer, chairman of the Peach Festival for the past two years, said Norman and Hazel Klase, longtime members of Trinity Lutheran, began the festival as a community outreach project.
All of the peaches used at the festival come from the church's grower in Chilton County, and all the cobblers and pies sold are completely homemade, using the same recipe every year.
The festival, normally in conjunction with the church's Peach Fun Run, was delayed this year because of a late freeze in Chilton that postponed the peach season. Forty-seven people participated in the run, despite the festival's delay.
According to Schroer, a couple of weeks ago, 27 people made more than 100 pie crusts that were then frozen and will be thawed, filled and baked the week before the festival.
Schroer said the people who helped ranged from those who made pies for years to those who never picked up a rolling pin.
The peaches for the cobblers and pies will be peeled the week leading up to the Peach Festival with the help of members of greater Auburn and Trinity Lutheran communities.
Mary Zellmer, a member of Trinity Lutheran, said she loves the camaraderie and companionship that goes into putting on the festival, as well as connecting with the Auburn community the day of the festival.
Allan Hudspith, pastor of Trinity Lutheran for four years, said the festival has two goals for outreach: interacting with members of the church community while preparing for the festival and meeting community members who attend.
The proceeds of the Peach Festival are given on a three-year cycle to local, national and international charities and are approximately $2,000 each year.
In the past, proceeds were given to Alabama Rural Ministries and were sent as tornado relief to Tuscaloosa in 2011. Last year, the funds were used to purchase mosquito nets that would help prevent malaria in southern Africa.
This year, all money raised will be split between two local needs: the East Alabama Food Bank and Women's Hope Medical Clinic.
Schroer, who never had a Chilton County peach until she moved to Alabama, believes "having had them from other places, the taste of Chilton County peaches is much better," even better than Georgia peaches.
Zellmer echoed her praise of the peaches and said," I don't think there's any peach better than a Chilton County peach."
Hudspith, who enjoys the feeling of community that comes from peeling the fresh peaches, said, "Not only are the peaches good, it's great fun being together."
Prices for the festival are as follows: whole pies, $8; slices of pie, $2; whole cobbler, $10; serving of cobbler, $2; a half-peck of peaches, $7.50; and a peck of peaches, $15.
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