The Tellico Village Community Church Crafters held its annual fall charity sale Saturday at the Community Church at Tellico Village, which for a few hours bustled with activity as visitors perused a collection of largely Christmas-related items.

Volunteers welcomed visitors inside, helped at various tables and worked in the kitchen. Saturday was the second craft and bake sale held this year.

“Ladies from the community, not just the church, meet every Monday and they work at different crafts,” Susan Hussey, Crafters publicity assistant, said. “They work at florals or mailbox covers or sewn items, note cards, anything, and it’s a way for them to meet and get to know each other and then still make things that they can sell for charity.”


Saturday’s sale, which included crafts and baked goods, brought in $15,191.35, Charlene Barton, sale co-chairwoman, said in a follow-up interview.

“It was an excellent sale and we’re very pleased,” Barton said. “... We should have a nice amount to donate to the different organizations in the county in Loudon and Monroe count(ies).”

Barton said Crafters go into each sale grateful for any amount raised.

“We’re just always thankful for what we raise because whatever we get for this sale and our half of the garage sale (with Loudon County Habitat for Humanity) that we already had and the one spring sale, then we’ll have a meeting here in November to divvy out the funds,” Barton said. “We vote on it in December at our annual meeting.”

Organizations and nonprofits benefited by the sale include the Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department, the Child Advocacy Center of the Ninth Judicial District, the Tellico Village Computer Users Club and the Good Samaritan Center of Loudon County.

For many, participating in the sale is a way to give back.

“That’s why most of us are here, to contribute to the community,” Mary Loehr, sale co-chairwoman, said.

Loehr distributed plastic bags to people as they walked in.

“I think people can find themselves a little bit of everything,” Loehr said. “It’s just a good fit. Some people that is their talent and so they contribute to the bake sale. Some things are put together really pretty nifty and some people do this kind of thing, so it works.”

While the sale included fan favorites like the Jezebel spread and scrubbies, it also had new items for visitors to consider purchasing.

Santa Claus figurines made a return from more than a decade ago. Former Crafters member June Kaspar began making the Santa figures 17 years ago. Crafters member Judy Conine brought them back.

“These are plastic,” Conine said. “There are juice bottles underneath. There’s a piece of wood that holds them down and then this is the bottle.”

About 24 figurines, which ranged in sizes, were brought to the sale Saturday. Within an hour there were seven remaining.

Conine described the fall charity sale as busy, but it didn’t come as a surprise. She’s been with the group for about 14 years.

“In spring, well, you know, it’s mostly garden-related,” Conine said. “In the spring I do glass gardening ornaments. They’re here for the gifts or their collection. A lot of people have Santa collections or snowmen collections.”

The Tellico Village Church Crafters will resume meeting 9 a.m.-noon Jan. 8 at the Community Church at Tellico Village.