Justin Passick
Contributing Writer

(Photo provided – Representing Helping Hands at last year’s Harvest Gathering Festival were (from left) Brynda Filkins, a volunteer, and Ramona Tripplet, board trustee for the organization.)

A collaboration between Helping Hands Food Pantry and Adam and Haley Auvenshine, the Harvest Gathering Festival returns for its fourth year on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 4 to 8 p.m. This year brings a new home for the event – The Quarry on Clinton Trail between Charlotte and Eaton Rapids.

The festival was hosted at Hidden Creek Farms, another of Adam and Haley’s properties, for its first two years. Tornado damage forced a venue change last fall when the project moved to the Al!ve Center.

“Al!ve was great, we were honored to be hosted there,” said Adam, who helped create this annual festival with friend and Helping Hands Executive Director Amanda Thompson. While their experience at A!ive was wonderful, Adam is “looking forward to bringing it back to our venues.”

A big part of making this a celebration for everyone begins by making it free to all. “All the food, everything, it’s all provided by the sponsors,” and Auvenshine means it. Everything from carnival games, a touch-a-truck, bounce houses, balloons, a Viking axe wall, and silent and live auctions are available without fees. There is a suggested donation per activity to help support the mission of Helping Hands, but nothing is kept from attendees as the organizers want to “take care of the community” by providing a chance for everyone to have fun together.

“She has a servant’s heart,” said Auvenshine of Thompson, the Helping Hands director. “We want to see this place (Helping Hands) thriving,” is how Adam described the overall mission, not just for his business, or the charity, but the local area as a whole.

Helping Hands Food Pantry members will be on hand to share plans for future services and expansions. There is still a bit more fund-raising to do to complete the current expansion.

The event will feature a number of activities, from hayrides to Nordic Fire Festival activities, face painting, touch a Charlotte Fire Truck, silent and live auctions, games and more.  Magician Chad Banister will also perform.