Thursday, May 3rd, 2018
Sweet walk will benefit charity
By Sydney Albert
ST. MARYS - Locals with a sweet tooth may soon be able to enjoy a day filled with chocolate delights in downtown St. Marys as they support a local nonprofit agency.
The first Spring Street Chocolate Walk will be from noon-3 p.m. May 19. The tickets may not be gold, but ticket holders will be able to enjoy different chocolate treats as they peruse area businesses and enjoy special promotions, sales, discounts and raffles.
Event organizer Sue Cheslock said the fundraiser would help raise some much-needed money for Sue's Animal Rescue Team, known as SART, a local nonprofit she heads dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of stray cats.
"One of SART's most-beloved supporters, Dianna Dominguez, was helping me try to find a fun fundraiser. She had heard of chocolate walks and did some research and suggested we try this! SART raises the money needed to do all that we do through the shelter and having the same fundraiser all the time can get old for everyone. We were ready for something new," Cheslock wrote in an email.
The 16 participating businesses include Effie's Boutique, Guarnieris Pub and Pizza, Lunatic Fringe, State Farm, Spring Flowers, The Arts Place, The Little White House, Hudson's Jewelry, The Gathering, the St. Marys Chamber of Commerce, Cisco Realty, St. Marys Family Eye Care, The Island Shop, St. Marys City Schools, The Village Boutique and Eight Limbs Yoga.
Some businesses will provide their own chocolate treats, while others will have goods made by local bakers and chocolatiers such as Winans Chocolates and Coffees, Chocolates.by.Aniston, Camerin's Cupcakes and Pupcakes, Biggby Coffee, Michelle's Macarons and Sara's Little Cupcakes. All ticket holders also will receive a special bag to carry treats they want to save for later.
Tickets are $20 and are limited to 200. They are available for purchase at sartohio.org/chocolate and at Minster Bank in St. Marys. Ticket holders will get treats from each business they visit and will also be eligible to enter a drawing for a large basket filled with chocolate treats valued at more than $100. For more information, contact Sue Cheslock at sue@sartohio.org.
