Around 200 people braved the snowy weather  Sunday to attend Faith Lutheran Church’s 32nd annual Sweetheart Dinner.

 

Guests were treated to a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings, which included turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, corn, coleslaw, cranberry sauce and sugar cookies. Church members donated the food for the event, which was prepared and served by Dennis, Stephanie, Kayla, Kenzie and Kaidyn Pederson and Kelly Halvorson.

 

Along with the cooks, church members of all ages helped with the fundraiser. Adults and youth handled setting up, cleaning tables and clean up, Confirmation students made five of the 35 dozen sugar cookies, fifth and sixth graders rolled sets of silverware, and Brian Swanson helped out in several areas.

 

Along with the delicious meal, which was $10 for adults, attendees had a chance to purchase raffle tickets and bid on 52 silent auction baskets. The raffle was led by Marge Free, the grand prize of which was a beautiful homemade quilt donated by Katy Aanenson. Baskets and other prizes were donated by local businesses and Faith Lutheran Church members.

 

During the event, the senior youth also sold craft items to raise funds for their upcoming mission trip to Idaho this summer.

 

A portion of the proceeds from the Sweetheart Dinner fundraiser are dedicated to the church’s youth programs, which include senior youth (10th to 12th graders), confirmation students (seventh to ninth graders), the Grapple program (fifth and sixth graders) and Vacation Bible School in July. The Grapple program and Vacation Bible School are open to the community, youth don’t need to be members of Faith Lutheran to attend.

 

Businesses that donated prizes for this year’s Sweetheart Dinner, which is always held the first Sunday after the Super Bowl, included American Door Works, Becker Community Center, Becker True Value, Brickyard Bar & Grill, Blueberry Portage Natural Products, Bluestone Grill, Cornerstone Chevrolet, Eddie's Auto Repair, Edling Farms, Food Pride, Hammer’s Hair Lounge, Jubilee Liquor, Loch Jewelers, McPete’s Sports Bar & Lanes, McKay’s Family Dodge, Scheideman Chiropractic, StarCor Credit Union, Sherburne State Bank, Studio 5, Taco Gringo, Three Ladies Laundry and Von Hanson’s Meats.