The United Methodist Women of New Hope United Methodist Church are celebrating its 50th year of providing the best, just-picked-and-shelled, fresh-from-the-grower pecans.
Over the last 25 years, this event has raised money to donate more than $400,000 to local and international missions, such as ECHO, Metropolitan Ministries, Brandon Life Care (now Choices), United Methodist Children’s Home, Family Promise, Cornerstone Ministries, Mary & Martha House, Beth-El Mission, Women’s Resource Center (now Hope for Her), Children’s Home Society and more.
Barbara Brooks, pecan committee chairwoman for the last 15 years, is excited to host this fundraiser again. “The best part of the pecan sale is the money we get to contribute to local missions,” said Brooks.
This annual pecan sale has grown to more than 650 customers from the Southern Hillsborough County area; however, customers order from as far away as Orlando and Lakeland to support this worthy cause.
“It’s wonderful to see many of the same customers come by every year and to catch up with them,” said Brooks. “Customers tend to arrive about the same time of day, and our volunteers tend to work the same times each year, so some of them really do have a bond. After 15 years, I recognize many of them.”
Last year, the United Methodist Women sold almost 1,000 of the 5 lb. boxes of pecans, 450 of the 1 lb. bags plus pralines, chocolate amaretto and the assortment tin.
“Our orders probably will be a little less this year because of COVID, but we have safety measures in place for those who want to purchase this year,” said Brooks.
The pecan orchard picks the pecans on Monday of the delivery week, boxes them on Tuesday and Wednesday and then delivers to the church on Friday. They are the freshest pecans you can get without going to the orchard yourself.
Prices are $46 for a 5 lb. box of pecan halves or pieces and $10 for a 1 lb. bag of pecan halves. Specialty items include: 1 lb. bag of chocolate amaretto pecans for $12, 1 lb. bag of praline pecans for $12 and the assortment Christmas tin of chocolate amaretto, pralines and roasted and salted pecan halves for $25.
You can place your order from Thursday, October 1 to Sunday, November 1 by calling Mary Baker from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. at 643-4493 or emailing bjbrooks5@gmail.com. Customers can also visit www.pecansale.com to pay by credit card.
Please make checks payable to UMW and mail to P.O. Box 546, Lithia, FL 33547. Only prepaid orders are reserved. Others will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Pickup is on Saturday, November 14 and Monday, November 16 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at the New Hope Life Center on 213 N. Knights Ave. in Brandon (just north of SR 60). Please park on the right side of the building and look for the pecan signs.
