Church hosts tea and fashion show

The St. Edward's Garden Tea, held on Saturday at St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church, wasn't just for ladies. There were a few men in attendance, and a host of fellows served the food and kept the teapots hot.

Upwards of 100 people filled tables that were individually decorated with flowers, tea sets and fine china. The food - fruit cups and Devonshire scones - was presented with a flourish by the nattily attired servers.

The annual tea, in its eighth year, raises money for a variety of projects around the church. The main beneficiary is the lovely St. Winefride's Garden, and this year funds will also be allocated for some special-event storage equipment.

The event also includes a fashion show, with garments provided by a Sisters clothing store. This year MacKenzie Creek Trading Co. provided the clothes, with the theme "Playing in Sisters." Clothing appropriate for golfing, hiking and enjoying a casual day outdoors was modeled by parishioners.

The garden tea is anticipated by those in the St. Edward's parish and beyond. According to Dorothy Dougherty, who was in charge of the raffle tables, community support is strong.

"We wrote letters to parishioners and Sisters businesses and got wonderful raffle items," she said.

St. Winefride's Garden is surrounded by wood sculptures of various saints, each crafted by Sisters artist J. Chester (Skip) Armstrong. It is open to the public for several hours each day and is a haven of peace in the bustle of life.