Dedication best describes the inaugural
Cornbread Festival
L-R: Mya Hawkins, Rebecca Mueller and Frances Martin stop long enough to pose for a photo while working at the Country Store during the Cornbread Festival in Wellborn last Saturday. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
By Tami Stevenson
Wellborn, Fla., – Amid the obstacles of inclement weather faced during the inaugural Cornbread Festival by the Wellborn Community Association (WCA), last Saturday, organizers say it went as well as could be expected.
Determined vendors braved the weather while hooded visitors, donned with scarves and warm gloves, made their way through the booths. The hot chili and cornbread were a welcome sight afterward.
The unrelenting rain and cold temperatures staved off some of the vendors and visitors, but organizers were not discouraged.
“Let me tell you, the Lord is wonderful. He has just blessed us.” Said Annita Leonard, WCA secretary and event organizer. She went on to say that in spite of everything, they were thankful for the dedication and tenacity of the vendors, visitors and volunteers that supported the Cornbread Festival’s first event.
“The Sheriff (Sam St. John) has been out here helping us today. (Commissioner) Len Stapleton has been out to help. It has been amazing the people that have come out to help us. The vendors that came out in this cold and rain, it has been something else.”
One person Leonard wanted to make special mention of is student Danny Rodriguez from NJROTC. She said, “He came out to lend a hand and has cooked, helped serve chili and if it had to be done, he has done it!”
Out of the twelve chili cook-off entrants, seven braved the cold and rain to contend for the first prize of $300, which was awarded to RIVEROAK Technical College with Executive Director Mary Keen.
Cornbread connoisseurs had better bring their ‘A’ game next year as WCA President Mayso Martin apparently cooks up some of the finest cornbread around! His recipe took first place among the six entrants this year.
Kathy Addis from Kadee’s Wreaths & Florals out of Columbia City, braved the weather to sell beautiful handmade wreaths. She had a tarp ready to cover her display, “Because the wind, every once in awhile, is blowing my wreaths around and I don’t want them to get damaged.” She said her next show will be in Lake City on November 20, for Founders Day, and hoped the weather would cooperate better for that show. For custom designs and wreath orders, Kathy can be reached at 386-755-3017.
Quality Mobile Welding was among the others that braved the weather with a booth at the Cornbread Festival. Master Welder Fredrick Vandyck, along with his wife, Doctor M. Vandyck, were selling unique horseshoe art. The couple moved to O’Brien last year from Illinois where he was a welding instructor. Although his main business today is mobile welding, he also gives welding lessons at his shop in O’Brien.
Someone gave him some horseshoes and he began making wine bottle holders, then it went to cowboys and then he started making names and signs. So he realized, why throw them away? We can refurbish these.
Quality Mobile Welding offers mig, tig, stick and aluminum fabrication. He will bring his mobile welding rig straight to the customer, whether it is on a farmer’s land or on the side of the highway. He can be reached at 386-205-0375.
The Country Store at Andrews Square was open. They sold their famous jams, jellies, pies and cakes, along with homemade specialty breads from Rebecca Mueller, who also makes bread for Fort White Produce.
Frances Martin oversees the store and said they had a good day of sales considering the weather. “We were surprised.” They normally only open the store during festivals. “We have a breakfast once a month but we don’t stock the store every month. With this all being non-profit, trying to keep up can be a challenge.” But they are considering opening it once a month.
Mayso Martin, WCA president said the event, “…turned out the best we expected it to be with the weather and everything. We appreciate all the ones that came out.”
CHILI COOK-OFF WINNERS:
1st Place $300 - RIVEROAK Technical College
2nd Place $150 - Florida Roof Masters
3rd Place $50 - Sherms Auto Repair and Restoration
CORNBREAD COMPETITION:
1st Place $300 - Mayso Martin
2nd Place $150 - Andrea Wilson
3rd Place $50 - Annita Leonard
It should be noted that Sherms Auto Repair and Restoration, along with Mayso Martin and Annita Leonard, all donated their winnings back to WCA.
WCA Event Coordinator Annita Leonard dishes out some of the last bowls of chill during the Cornbread Festival in Wellborn last Saturday. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
Inside the Country Store, specialty breads, pies, jams and jellies were among some of the items for sale during the inaugural Cornbread Festival, Saturday. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
WCA President Mayso Martin and WCA Secretary/Event Organizer Annita Leonard -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
Unrelenting rain and cold weather didn’t stop these dedicated vendors. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
Master Welder Fredrick Vandyck, of Quality Mobile Welding, along with his wife, Doctor M. Vandyck, were selling unique horseshoe art. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
Kathy Addis from Kadee’s Wreaths & Florals out of Columbia City kept a tarp handy to protect her handmade wreaths from the wind. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
The Wellborn Country Store was busier than expected! -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
L-R Volunteers Ja’liyah Bernard and Joslyen Livingston, both from Suwannee County, selling goods for the Country Store during the Cornbread Festival in Wellborn. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson
