A Big Idea

All organizations fundraise in order to finance needed repairs, upgrades, additions and the like. St. George Orthodox Church is no different. What is different is the group of young women who are working to raise funds for renovations to the aging church so that older parishioners can once again have access to the facility.
“One of our immediate problems is that our elders can no longer maneuver the stairs, limiting their participation in church activities,” Pastor's wife and a member of the Ladies of St. George, Erin Kimmett said. “That’s very sad and needs to be fixed."
The Ladies of St. George is a group of eight women who have been members of this church since childhood. They were also childhood friends, most of whom grew up in the same neighborhood of South Norwood. All of these women work outside the home and volunteer their time to enrich the lives of those around them.
Barbara Campbell, a longtime parishioner and one of the eight said, “We have a passion for our church and our heritage," Longtime parishioner and Ladies member said.
That becomes obvious the more one talks with the group.
These young women don’t just talk the talk, as the saying goes, they are fully engaged in making positive things happen for their church community. They have worked on many fundraisers together including a gala in 2015 where they raised $50,000. And, while they don’t always agree on details, they work well together making decisions on a consensus basis. What is notable, is that they have an obvious love and respect for one another. No one wants the limelight, and everyone’s efforts are valued.
Two years ago, the group realized they would not be able to make the major renovations the church needs by holding small fundraisers. They needed 'a big idea.' Something that would continue to bring in revenue long after the event was over.
Growing up, each woman was positively influenced by her grandmother, so after numerous brainstorming sessions they decided to create something from the kitchen. The winning idea was a Middle Eastern salad dressing. Each brought in her grandmother’s recipes and after many variations were tried and tweaked, they settled on the one that reminded each of them of their heritage and had the ‘fresh taste’ they were after.
They used their mix on the salads they served for church lunches; people loved it and asked for the recipe. They did blind taste tests and tried the dressing out on local restaurant owners to find out if it had mass appeal. Each step of the way they were met with encouragement.
But the journey was not easy. Trying to find a commercial source to mix the spices in bulk and to package them generated many rejections. Savory Spice Shop of Denver, CO, a small family business, was impressed with their mission and agreed to help. And the project moved on.
Parishioner Nancy Kelly Jones donated her time and talent to develop their branding materials.
“Our grandparents settled here and built this church," Campbell said. "We have a great respect for what they accomplished and wanted to do something to honor them.”
So it was relatively easy for the group to agree on the name for their product. Sittee’s Savory Kitchen, Middle Eastern Salad Dressing.
Their mission statement says, "Sittee is 'my grandmother'" – one of countless women who, as the backbone of our community, used their culinary talents to help build and sustain our church. Sittee’s Savory Kitchen honors these beloved women and their legacy by giving all proceeds to the Building Fund.”
Sales officially kicked off at Norwood Day where they gave out samples and received great feedback with comments like ‘bright,’ ‘fresh,’ and ‘light.’ They sold all of their inventory in very short time.
They plan to start selling at Farmers’ Markets in the near future and will work toward an increasingly wider distribution. They also have their first distributor. As of September 17, Ramblin Rose Cottage Vintage Home and Garden Shop, at the Winsmith Mill Market, 61 Endicott St., in Norwood, will stock Sittee’s Middle Eastern salad dressing. Two spice packets are packaged in a one-pint Mason-style jar that can be used to prepare the dressing. The cost is $6.99 per jar. Each jar comes with two recipes, one called Simple & Delicious, the other Authentic. For more information, additional recipes and to order on-line, go to www.SitteesSavoryKitchen.com.
Kimmett says, “Our parish is known for making anyone who walks in the door family,” Kimmett said. Hospitality, acceptance, love, church and family are all intertwined in this community. The Sittee’s of the Ladies of St. George would be very proud of their granddaughters’ endeavors.
Donna Lane is a Norwood-based writer, lecturer and designer. You can reach her at addictedgardener@verizon.net.