Fundraising fun for Plains pool advocates
Gary and Loretta Jessop volunteered their time making last week Wednesday evening at the Plains Alliance Church. All proceeds from the fundraiser went towards repairs on the Plains pool.
Loretta Jessop, a truffle making volunteer, dips the candies in a chocolate layer during the fund raising event last Wednesday.
More than 70 volunteers gathered to make 350 dozen truffles, clearing over $6,000 for the Plains pool last week.
The four-day project was held at the Plains Alliance Church and the proceeds will go toward the purchase of a new pool cover and some miscellaneous repairs, according to production coordinator Janice Hanson.
“It was an amazing community endeavor because there were people from every strata of the community. It wasn’t a church or an organization doing something, it was just everybody,” Hanson said. “People were laughing and interacting and doing something for a common goal. That was really impressive.”
The truffle fundraiser figures to be a crucial part of the larger pool fundraising effort that has been underway ever since the sand filter was found to be malfunctioning.
Initial estimates for installation of a new filter and pool cover were as high as $50,000, according to Sandy Chenoweth city council and Pools Management Team member.
“The pool is an old pool and as all of us get older, we require more care and maintenance,” Chenoweth said. “One of the goals of the pool’s management team is to continue to be on top of that to make sure it happens.”
Recent developments, however, cast a more favorable light on the project. Chenoweth said the filter and cover may come in much lower than originally thought. Additionally, The Clark Fork Valley Hospital offered to donate tools for the project and a number of volunteers have stepped forward to assist with labor. All in all, the new total cost might be as low as $15,000, said Chenoweth.
If the newer projections hold true, the fundraising battle may be nearly over. Rather than resting on their laurels, Hanson feels that community members need to be pro-active when dealing with funding issues.
An alternative to scrambling every time there is an issue, is to keep money in the fund said Hanson. She recalled a similar circumstance six years ago, when community members scrambled to raise money to replace a dysfunctional boiler for the pool.
Hanson said the truffle fundraiser was made possible by the efforts of numerous volunteers. Specifically, she said her parents, Gary and Loretta Jessop, who came from Washington to help with production, and Taloni and John Dubois, who were in charge of sales and volunteer coordination, were invaluable to the project.
Hanson and her parents have been involved in various truffle fundraisers over the years, this one was their largest to date. About fifteen years ago, they made five dozen truffles for a group of local kids, and a tradition was born. Ever since, the Hanson’s have perfected their technique and recipes.
Hanson explained the time consuming process that went into over 4,200 pieces of chocolate. The intricate procedure began as volunteers made the six different flavors of ganache, orange, mint, raspberry, espresso, cocoanut and cinnamon, on Tuesday. Also, volunteers lined the carrying cartons with Saran Wrap.
After sitting overnight, four of the ganache flavors were portioned and rolled into balls on Wednesday morning and then allowed to set again for about an hour. Next, the ganache balls were dipped in chocolate to form a shell, a process called “skinning.” After being skinned, the balls sat for another hour to set. The chocolate is then dipped a final time and allowed to cure once more for an additional three hours.
The final two flavors were rolled and dipped on Thursday. Friday volunteers returned to clean the kitchen.
With between 36 and 42 truffles made per batch, you can imagine how many times this process was repeated over the course of three days. Factor in the meticulous coordination between batches in order to keep volunteers busy and meet a delivery deadline, and this was a mammoth undertaking.
Although making truffles is very labor intensive, Hanson said it was one of the more cost-effective fundraisers with profit margins near 60 percent.
Hanson also said that the project would not have been possible with the help of its underwriter’s: the Plains Alliance Church, Mangie Moose Mercantile, McGowan's Grocery, Plains Drug and CADAA.
The remaining 20 dozen truffles will be available in the refrigerated section of McGowan’s Grocery.