Members of Kiwanis Club of Arlington sell blueberries at a fundraiser benefiting children. From left: Greg Craddock, Julia Wright, Linda Chanzhander, Phil Kilfer. Photo by Shirley Ruhe.
Cars line up, trunks open in the parking lot of Cherrydale United Methodist Church on Lorcom Lane Friday, June 21 to pick up their 10-pound boxes of fresh blueberries. Julia Wright, who started the Kiwanis fundraiser 12 years ago says, “We started this drive-up system during Covid. People were just so thankful for something normal.”
Wright says they started the fundraiser with 250 boxes of blueberries, and it nearly doubled every year for a few years. This year the Kiwanis have 1,400 boxes for sale. “We take preorders but always order extra for people who just drive up.” She points to the back of the truck. “All of these will be gone. I ordered two boxes but it looks like I might just get one.”
Each box sold for $45, and she says in addition to their own orders customers requested 190 boxes to be donated to Arlington Food Assistance Center. The blueberries came from Haines Berry Farm in New Jersey.
Wright says the proceeds of the fundraiser are donated to 30 different charities that serve children.