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Members and friends of the Bad Axe United Methodist Women have come together every October since 1989 to conduct their apple pie marathon, raising funds for various local organizations and worldwide missions through the global ministry of the church, until this year when they were forced to cancel their event due to coronavirus precautions. (Courtesy Photo)
lessMembers and friends of the Bad Axe United Methodist Women have come together every October since 1989 to conduct their apple pie marathon, raising funds for various local organizations and worldwide missions
... more
Members and friends of the Bad Axe United Methodist Women have come together every October since 1989 to conduct their apple pie marathon, raising funds for various local organizations and worldwide missions through the global ministry of the church, until this year when they were forced to cancel their event due to coronavirus precautions. (Courtesy Photo)
lessMembers and friends of the Bad Axe United Methodist Women have come together every October since 1989 to conduct their apple pie marathon, raising funds for various local organizations and worldwide missions
... moreBAD AXE — The First United Methodist Women have been making an incredible amount of apple pies every October since 1989. But due to the coronavirus pandemic and precautions taken against the spread, the group has been forced to cancel this year’s event.
According to Kathie Abke, who has been involved in the event since its creation, the apple pie marathon was started to raise funds to renovate the church’s old and outdated kitchen. The women involved in the beginning were peeling and slicing the apples by hand for the oven-ready pies. The first year, 15 women made 125 pies in two and a half days.
The event is usually scheduled for the third week of October, with customers picking up their oven- or freezer-ready pies on Friday. After many marathons, some aspects of the process have been streamlined, including pre-bagging the pie spices by a group of women dubbed the Spice Girls.
Over the years, it has grown to be a church wide event with over 50 members and friends working assembly-line style to make as many as 1,300 beautiful, 10-inch deep-dish double crust apple pies in a three-day marathon.
“Over the years many changes occurred in the pie-making process, including the addition of many hand-cranked apple peelers, little tweaks to the crust recipe, improvements in the way the spices are mixed and the finished product being bagged and boxed for long-term freezing and easy stacking,” Abke said. “The one part of the pie that has remained unchanged is the homemade crusts, which are hand rolled and crimped.”
“Even people who don’t usually enjoy pie crust have raved about our recipe,” she added.
Once their original goal of the church kitchen was paid for, the proceeds from the apple pie marathon have gone toward local non-profits and worldwide missions through the global organization of United Methodist Women. Organizations that have benefited from this event include Huron County Homeless Solutions, Bay Shore Camp, and many youth missions’ trips.
“The event has become one of the largest social events of the church,” Abke said.
People interested in helping with the pie making process aren’t required to be members of the church. In the past, the Huron County Sheriff’s work crew has helped with the event. According to Abke, the extra help made a big difference.
“That outreach is important to the church,” Abke said. “I like to think being together in a fun, loving environment made a difference in their lives.”
Since the apple pie marathon was canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, United Methodist Women is accepting $10 dollar donations, the price of a pie, or more to continue support of local organizations and worldwide missions.
“It’s like buying a pie, without the calories,” Abke said. “We are grateful for the donations made in support of our cause.”
Anyone willing to support the church’s cause can send a check to Bad Axe United Methodist Women, 216 E. Woodworth Street, Bad Axe MI 48413.
The group is hoping to have their pie marathon back up and running in October of next year, with orders accepted through the church office beginning Sept. 1, 2021.
September 25, 2020 at 07:00PM
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Apple Pie Marathon tradition taking on new look due to coronavirus - Huron Daily Tribune
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