By ANNA GILGOFF

Special to The Press

It wasn’t even 9 a.m. but the parking lot was hopping on Oct. 15 as folks streamed into Ebenezer Church’s annual bazaar to chat with neighbors and find one-of-a-kind treasures.

In the kitchen, Joyce Simpson, Sherry Hinkel and Anna Lou Fritzinger were filling orders as fast as they could while hot dogs sizzled in a pan and baked goods clustered on the counter.

“It seems like lunch starts at 8 a.m.,” Simpson said with a laugh. “Customers have been taking food out to eat later.”

“Between cutting cakes and socializing, we’ve been busy,” Fritzinger added.

Homemade soups, turkey and hamburger barbecue and pies galore were just a few of the offerings tantalizing shoppers.

“A lot of this was made yesterday,” Hinkel said with a sweep of her hand. “People from the church donated a lot of food items.”

Susan Christ was one of them.

“I made my chicken corn soup and green pepper jelly,” she said. “It’s been busy right when we started.

“Customers have been waiting in line for the pies and the soup.”

At a nearby table, Christ was selling raffle tickets at a steady pace.

“An embroidered quilt is the first prize,” she said. “The drawing will be held Nov. 6 when we have Homecoming.”

In an adjoining room, quilter Diane DiMartino chatted with friends, surrounded by a variety of quilted items in an array of patterns and colors.

“There are three of us who make a yearly quilt for the raffle,” she said, “So, we would welcome other quilters. If anyone would like to join us, please do.”

According to DiMartino, all the money earned from the bazaar, including raffles, goes to the church.

“The congregation donated the baskets,” said Eileen Breininger ,who manned the basket raffle. “I’ve been doing this for quite a while, at least seven or eight years.”

Meantime, shoppers searched for unique items arranged on rows of tables.

Alex Lerner and Dylan Rex were on the lookout for old cameras and equipment.

Rex, a film maker, said vintage cameras produce film with a particular look that lends itself to documentaries.

“I attended Ebenezer and I actually came to see if I could find any old cameras,” the Northwestern alum said.

“My great uncle was into film,” Learner added.

When she found some of her uncle’s films, she was very excited.

“We took it to Dan’s Camera City. It was very well preserved.”

Other shoppers looked for unusual items that could be repurposed

New Tripoli resident Deb Angst was excited when she found some garland she could use.

“In my yard, I have a 5-foot 8-inch cement cat statue that I like to dress up depending on the holiday. The garland is going to be a part of her Christmas outfit.”