There's this happening in the Conestoga Valley area that blurs the line between Thanksgiving and Christmas and combines the spirits of both holidays. Thankful individuals are inspired by what they have to give to others who have less.

The event is called Cookies and Greens.

"It's not about the cookies. It's not about the greens," said Denise Fulmer, one of the organizers of the fundraiser. "It's about sending a fellow sister out to preach the Gospel in other places in the world."

"I know what I'm supporting is helping other women," she continued. "It's almost like shopping small, but in a different way. With me, I'd buy the cookies and greens anyway, so it's going to help women all across the world."

This year's edition of the annual Cookies and Greens event will be staged from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 80 Hellers Church Road, Leola, inside the decorated barn of one of the other organizers, Barb Daegan. Proceeds from the fundraiser, which is free to attend, will benefit local missionary Tabitha Shilalo and her work to provide feminine hygiene products like washable and reusable LuoPads to women in developing countries through Unto, a ministry based in Mount Joy.

"There's a lot of excitement (on the morning of the event)," said Fulmer. "We take the work out of Christmas cookies and arrangements. It's just a really great event for getting ready for the holidays. It helps people who don't want to make cookies."

Cookies and Greens will feature freshly cut evergreens that can be used for holiday decorating, as well as premade Christmas arrangements. There will also be gift items available for purchase.

"We want to give people the opportunity to feel like they're helping," said Fulmer, a resident of Manheim Township.

The wide assortment of homemade cookies that will be available at the event includes oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, coconut, sugar cookies and snickerdoodles, and there will also be chocolate-covered pretzels and chocolate-covered Ritz crackers. The treats are packaged and sold in one- and two-dozen amounts.

At last year's fundraiser, supporters baked and donated a total of 124 dozen cookies, and the event sold out.

"It's usually pretty steady throughout the day," said Fulmer. "(The organizers) all come from different churches in Leola, New Holland, Denver and Lancaster. The reason we do it is Tabitha and her mission. One of my friends at my church was on the committee, and I said I'd like to help. That's how I got involved. Some of the ladies go to Unto and help sew the pads."

More than 100 individuals are expected to visit Cookies and Greens. The organizers are hoping to raise more than $5,000 for Shilalo's mission of mercy to developing countries.

"I am more than happy to support (Shilalo) and her mission of good because I know I could never do it," said Fulmer. "Her supporters want to help her make a difference. She also has monthly supporters. This helps her to continue doing this mission."

Cookies and Greens was established in 2020. After a taking a year's hiatus, the fundraiser has been staged every holiday season since.

"It's brought in more and more cookies being donated and being sold," said Fulmer. "I think we're doing a better job of getting the word out about it. Everybody's got their part in it, and I think that's helped grow it over the years."

Through Unto, Shilalo has taken the LuoPad mission to "the toughest places" in the world, impoverished areas that are war torn or affected by natural disasters.

"I think part of what Tabitha does is tell women they're loved and that Jesus loves them," said Fulmer. "Sometimes when she's spreading the Gospel, she's in countries that don't allow that. There's some risk, but her heart is to make them feel loved and maybe a little more whole. These women hear about Jesus."

For additional information about Tabitha and her mission, go to http://www.give.cru.org/0900170.