Swampscott church fair remains feast for faithful

SWAMPSCOTT – Joy, food and charity have helped the international food fair at First Swampscott Church continue for almost three decades, say its participants.The annual fair, which brings together congregations from Swampscott to Malden to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity, was held for the 29th time Saturday. Participants purchased tickets to nosh on food from Ireland, Scandinavia, India, Korea and various countries in Africa.Every year, it raises $5-7,000 to help build homes for those in need on the North Shore, said Sharon Thomas, the chairperson for the event.”All of the money we earn, every penny, goes to Habitat for Humanity,” she said.Marilyn Glover and Susan Bowdridge of First Baptist Church in Malden did their part by cooking up traditional Korean dishes from recipes borrowed from Korean members of their congregation.”We’ve raised $180 so far,” Bowdridge said.The two women have set up a booth at the food fair for the past 15 years, saying they love every moment of it.Virginia Symmes, of the First Church of Swampscott, has volunteered to work at the fair for the past 29 years.She said she thinks one reason it has been so successful is because it’s set in the winter after the holidays finish.”We don’t have much competition for many other things going on,” she said.Symmes, Bowdridge and Glove are just three of many people who have long participated in the event, said Pastor Ian Holland of the First Church of Swampscott.”There are a lot of people who have been coming back year after year,” he said, noting the fair draws volunteers from Baptist, Catholic and Congregational churches.He attributed the international food fair’s success to the pure joy of working together for a good cause.”It’s a work of joy,” he said. “We’re doing good, doing good in the world.”Amber Parcher can be reached at [email protected].