Mennonite sale nets $38,000

Glory Rossbacher arrived early to Saturday’s Annual Mennonite Craft & Bake Sale for two things.

Apple butter and rolls.

“Rolls for Thanksgiving are just a tradition,” said Rossbacher while waiting for the doors to open at Kootenai Valley Mennonite Church.

The Bonners Ferry woman was among 40 to 50 people who arrived prior to the start of the 8 a.m. event, which included homemade baked goods, quilts, furniture, crafts and so much more. After several hundred folks passed through the church and made purchases, $38,000 was raised for the Kootenai Valley Mennonite School, said organizer Norv Skrivseth.

“It may have been on par for last year,” Skrivseth said. “It was a good sale.”

A November tradition, the sale was jammed with people within minutes after the doors opened, making it was difficult to navigate through the aisles.

“I’m here every year,” said Flory Dally, who was among the first to arrive along with her daughter, Jordana Dally, and 4-year-old granddaughter Bianca Dally.

“It’s first come, first serve,” said Flory Dally, who lives in Bonners Ferry. “It gets swamped.”

Everything offered is handmade by church members.

Crowds are the norm for the sale.

“Usually by 8 a.m., there’s a long line of people that want to get in here,” Skrivseth said. “It’s a place where the community comes together, not just Mennonites. It’s all about fellowship and food.”

Anything that is not sold by the end of the day is then sold during an auction.

“There was nothing taken home that wasn’t bought,” Skrivseth said. “There’s much appreciation for community support.”