Each November, Santa’s elves can be found busily toiling away behind the scenes at all hours of the day and night to get everything ready for the wondrous Christmas Bazaar that will be held in the heart of Gilroy next on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The United Methodist Church on the corner of Fourth and Church streets has the historical distinction of not only being the oldest church community still in existence in Gilroy (since 1853), but also of holding the longest continuously running bazaar in our fair city. Director Barbara Gailey tells me that this is the 80th year that the hands of local women have quilted, sewn, embroidered, decorated, cooked, baked, canned, pickled, potted, mixed, fudged, bottled, preserved, painted, macraméd, knitted, glued, crocheted, chutneyed and jammed.
I have many Bazaar memories; one of my favorites is from several years ago when a cake walk was part of the festivities.
“To win, you must have one wheel on the number,” said Czarina Barbara Gailey, reading the rule for electric wheelchair patrons.
Twenty numbers were laid down on the floor for the course, and participants donated $5 to compete.
One gentleman, leaning heavily on his cane and watching from the sidelines, suddenly exclaimed, “I don’t need this!” and threw his cane across the room as he hurried to join those ready to compete. The music began, the audience cheered, and the caneless entrant ended up taking a cake home.
Lunch in the past has consisted of apple pie, pumpkin pie, cherry, blueberry, and olallieberry pie, Albondigas (meatball) soup, chicken soup, French onion, beef burgundy, ham bean, split pea, and clam chowder with French bread. And for sale, there have been baskets of mandarin oranges, persimmons, pineapple guavas, and homemade gingerbread. Hungry yet?
I sure was as I browsed the Bazaar last year, checking out Claudia Salewske’s homemade preserves, which kept me supplied all year.
She described some of her wares this way: “I’m working on creating baskets filled with jams and chutneys and Herb Edde’s honey, and in some, gourmet hot chocolate packets, Cappuccino packets, assorted teas tied with narrow ribbons – all of which are nested into pinewood-colored excelsior moss and done up in cellophane with festive ribbons and silk flowers. Loads of jars of these goodies will also be for sale on their own.”
For the past 14 years, Marilyn Schlesinger has donated one of her elaborate handmade quilts. Her quilt has been featured on the “Golden Opportunity Table,” with tickets being sold for the chance to win the quilt. This year, a longtime resident and founding member of the Garlic Festival, Edith Edde, made the quilt, which is in beautiful shades of blue and aqua, my favorite colors. One need not be present to win.
Barbara Gailey, organizer extraordinaire, coordinates and directs all aspects of the annual event. Some of you can recall a beloved Gilroy teacher named Leona Kolbly, as well as other venerable local community advocates who contributed to this Bazaar in the past: Sophie Chase, Doris Kallas, Dick Freitas, Annabel Kropff, Florence Trimble, LaRhree Nichols, Herb Edde, Mary Magnuson, and Mary Ernest – just to name a few on this 80th tribute year.
All proceeds go to benefit women’s and children’s causes supported by the United Methodist Women. Gilroy’s bazaar holds the record not only for being the longest continuously running one in our own community, but it also holds the record for being the only one still being held annually for this many years among all United Methodist Churches in northern California and the state of Nevada.
‘Twas the night before the Bazaar and all through the church, not a creature was stirring – except for one heck of a busy crew getting ready for this year’s festivities. We live in a community still close-knit enough to carry on the tradition of an 80-year-old Bazaar which brings together the combined talents and interests of so many diverse people.
The 80th Bazaar will be begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at the United Methodist Church located at Fourth and Church streets. The soup luncheon starts at 11:30 a.m.. For more information, call (408) 607-2442.
The 80th visitor to come through the doors this year will receive a prize!
