On Friday, Aug. 23, the First United Methodist Church of Moorestown will be holding its annual Peach festival from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The Peach Festival supports the three local food pantries at First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church and St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. However, while the event allows each pantry to continue helping the community, that wasn’t always the case.
“I took over the Peach Festival about six years ago,” said Marilyn Arbittier of the First United Methodist food pantry. “I’m not leading it this year, but when I took it over, I wanted to make it more of a community event. I’m not exactly sure what the purpose of the Peach Festival was before I did it. It was more of a church event.
“When I took it over, I wanted to expand it to the rest of the community, but also I asked for it to somehow help the three food pantries in Moorestown,” Arbittier continued. “I am in charge of the food pantry at First United Methodist, so one thing I asked for is for everyone to bring at least a canned item to donate to the pantry.”
According to Arbitter, the food pantries feed up to 200 to 350 people per week. Therefore, the proceeds and donations from the Peach Festival directly benefit the residents of Moorestown. However, for Arbitter, it’s not just about the food pantries, it’s about coming out and enjoying the night.
“When I took over the event, I wanted everyone to come out and enjoy the event,” said Arbitter. “I wanted people to come and meet members of the community. I think the event grew from about 100 people to about 650. It’s really just a time for people to have a good time.”
This year, the Peach Festival will include fresh peaches, peach-themed homemade baked goods, ice cream, hot dogs and hamburgers. Families will also be able to enjoy live music and activities such as a moon bounce, a dunk tank and various games. Admission is $7 per person with a $20 maximum per family. Children under 5 are free.
For those looking to get involved with the food pantries, the St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church located is open on the first and third Mondays of each month between noon and 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. The Bethel AME food pantry is open on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Lastly, the First Baptist Food Pantry is open every Tuesday from 11 to 2 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m., as well as every Thursday between 11 and 1 p.m.
