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March 2002 Table of Contents
Special Feature
Members of This Choir Work for Peanuts
By Curtis Downey, Choir Director
Bethlehem United Methodist Church, Moneta, VA
The men in this choir have learned to blend more than just their voices. They are part of a team with a mission that you might think is "just plain nuts," But they aren't...
The United Methodist Men at Bethlehem UMC in Moneta, Virginia admit they were more than mildly skeptical when newcomer Rowland Harris suggested a new fundraiser for the group.
Having moved from Durham, North Carolina to this rural community rich with retirees nestled along the shores of Smith Mountain Lake in southwest Virginia, Harris told the men about his former church and the popular project produced by the congregation there.
Roasting and selling peanuts, he proposed, could make a lot of money for the men's mission projects.
Nuts? The men repeated quietly among themselves. Yes, he must be.
But Harris persisted. Joining the choir, he continued to promote his idea to his fellow tenors. "We could do this," he insisted.
Eventually Harris' determination--no doubt backed by his 6'2", 250-pound, gentle giant demeanor--convinced the men's group to give it a try.
They were scared, Harris admits, and fellow choir member Floyd Ferguson agrees. "There we so many 'nuts and bolts' (no pun intended) and details about the cooker, oil, seasoning…. It sounded very complicated and we were wary," Ferguson said. "So that very first time we roasted only about 200 pounds of peanuts," Harris recalls "and we sold them in 15 minutes," he adds smiling.
That was in May 1999.
Today there are two teams of four to five men who alternate cooking the peanuts in the church kitchen nearly every week during their peak season, which starts in May and continues through the end of December. And since that first, experimental batch of salted peanuts, they have sold enough nuts to donate $21,000 to mission projects.
"We voted early on to use the money we made for missions. We didn't want to keep it in the church (for building funds, operational supplies, etc.). We wanted to see it go to mission work," Harris emphasized.
The men's group invites representatives from various mission programs to speak at their monthly meetings. Often inspired by the mission outreach work, they subsequently donate generously to the projects. The men have helped provide supplies for a local dentist doing missionary work in Ethiopia, donated to the New York Firefighters Fund, and regularly contribute to a local program for needy children at Christmas. Dozens of other mission programs have received donations from their peanut proceeds.
Now president of the men's group that once questioned the credibility of his nutty idea, Harris continues to enjoy being involved in the production of the peanuts. Each of the men working with him admires his passion and reflects his enthusiasm for the project.
"When I joined the choir and met Rowland, I really didn't know very many people," recalls tenor Gary Golladay. "He encouraged me to get involved and suggested I come make peanuts with him." Golladay had no idea how many jars of peanuts he's made, but it's clear the members of his team have now become good friends.
Harris has recruited several choir men to be peanut cookers, teaching them not just how to roast the peanuts but how to sell them too.
"Rowland is the best salesman," says Larry Beard, also a tenor in the choir. "He shows us how easy it is to make this whole process work. Like the other day, I went to the dentist and just casually mentioned cooking peanuts for the men's group. Next thing I knew, I had a $22 order for peanuts!"
"I don't remember exactly when Rowland invited me to help out with cooking," Beard adds, "but from the start, he never made it feel like work. It's fun actually. You socialize with the other guys while you're cooking, and you help make lots of money for a good cause."
The teams usually start at 8 a.m. and finish by noon, leaving the kitchen spotless when finished. "We make up about 25 cases - 12 jars each - of peanuts at a time," Harris explained. Church members have learned the Tuesday morning cooking schedule often includes a bowl of fresh-roasted "over runs" free for passer-bys.
The peanuts are sold in pint jars for $2.75. Quart jars are $5.50. Originally, the men only cooked salted and plain peanuts. With little encouragement, Harris created their own seasoning mix for Cajun, Smokin' Joe, and Down By the Bay.
The men used a rented cooker for their first batch of peanuts, but have since purchased their own as well as supplies of oil, spices and jars needed for production. To accommodate all the paraphernalia and help keep track of their inventory, they built a storage room in the church kitchen. The whole production process includes frequent trips to the Hancock Peanut Company in Courtland Virginia to buy the raw peanuts. It's a 210-mile trip, with Harris usually at the wheel of the church van or in a volunteer's pick up truck.
Jars of peanuts are on display in the fellowship hall of the church, as well as on the shelves in about a dozen local area stores. They sell best by word of mouth, Harris says, especially by sample. "That's our marketing plan," Harris laughs. "Taste one. They are dee-licious. You'll come back for more!"
The peanuts have been carried by church members and other local fans to family members and friends all over the country. The men ship about five orders per month. Some orders have been sent to California and as far away as Germany.
During the holidays and for special orders, personalized labels are available with a message from the sender, at no additional charge. Several local businesses use them as gifts at Christmas for special customers and employees.
Harris speculates an inspired sales campaign could easily double their sales numbers, but right now, their production is near its capacity. The men are happy. The mission programs are happy. What's "nut" to like?
For more information about Bethlehem United Methodist Church visit www.Lynchburg.net/BUMC
Larry Beard, Rowland Harris, Gary Golladay and Floyd Ferguson. Although they appear angelic in their choir robes, they can get pretty messy cooking, seasoning and packaging peanuts at the church.
Lastly, this is may appear to be an uninspiring photo, but it shows the peanut ministry display at the church, and - if you're able to pick up the detail - the custom made tablecloth embroidered with "BUMM" (Bethlehem United Methodist Men) in the lower right hand corner. The table coverings are made by Sandy Harris (Rowland's wife) and are changed with each holiday/season.
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