St. Ann’s Ladies’ Guild to have annual Harvest Tea

The Ladies’ Guild of St. Ann’s Catholic Church will host its annual Harvest Tea at 3 p.m. Sunday in the church and fellowship hall.

The program promises to provide a spiritual lift with guest speaker and Holocaust survivor Tom Grossman.

There also will be a performance by The Palmetto State Boys Choir.

The Harvest Tea was originally held in February 1976. The Rev. Martin McMahan, OMI, held a meeting with parishioners to discuss the need for building maintenance.

Edith Harrison, Margaret Frank and Constance Cooper organized the Green Tea. It was held on a cold Sunday afternoon in Cooper’s home.

Donations were accepted for renovation of the rectory. The tea subsequently has been called the Calendar Tea, the Bicentennial Tea and finally the Harvest Tea.

This gala event has been the primary means of raising funds for the Ladies’ Guild, which was formed in 1977.

The Harvest Tea continues to provide a means of raising funds for the Constance Cooper Janet Spring Scholarship.

Two scholarships are awarded annually to a nursing student and a teaching student at Francis Marion University.

Cooper was a teacher in Florence School District 1 for 30 years. Spring was a registered nurse at McLeod Regional Medical Center for 25 years.

The Ladies’ Guild invites the community — both men and women — to the Harvest Tea.

A reception will follow the program in the fellowship hall. Cooper’s spiced tea and other delights will be served.

For information regarding the tea or the scholarships, call Sue Cox at (843) 661-6057 or Sandy Kiessling at (843) 601-5035.

IF YOU’RE GOING

WHAT: St. Ann’s Catholic Church Ladies’ Guild Harvest Tea

WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 113 S. Kemp St., Florence

COST: Free

INFO: Call (843) 661-6057 or (843) 601-5035