State College Kiwanis Club’s blueberry sale is back. What to know about the annual fundraiser

For the last 15 years, the State College Kiwanis Club has organized a blueberry sale that raises thousands of dollars for the community. Last year, the annual event made a few changes, with a new format necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, those changes are here to stay, as organizers have found the new format to be more convenient and streamlined for everyone involved.

According to husband-and-wife team Jerry and Jane Wettstone, who have organized the event for the last two years, the previous format allowed for customers to place their blueberry orders in advance, then pick up their boxed blueberries on Penn State’s campus shortly after, paying with cash.

“We used to have the blueberries delivered to the (Penn State) Ag Arena holding barn, and when the pandemic hit, we weren’t allowed to use that building anymore, for good reasons, and we needed to do (the sale) outside,” Jane said. “So, South Hills (School of Business & Technology) offered to let us use their parking lot.”

From there, Jerry said, they “didn’t miss a beat.” They found the move to South Hills made it a lot more efficient.

“Rather than people having to park their car, go into the building, pay their money, come back out again and reload their car, now, there are three lanes of cars in that parking lot,” he said. “They pull in, we check them in and check their order; we are doing this all online, so they’re all prepaid. We have sheets with their name and their order number … and we confirm their order and put the sheet under their (windshield) wiper and they pull forward to a tent, where we load the berries and they move on ahead without ever getting out of their car and exit the parking lot.”

The two say they plan to keep the event at South Hills School of Business & Technology, as well as the online pre-ordering system.

Last year, the event sold 3,100 boxes of blueberries, which raised approximately $30,000. That money goes toward the State College Kiwanis Club community initiatives, such as creating scholarships for recent graduates at State College Area High School and providing funding for local nonprofits, such as Centre Volunteers in Medicine, as well as child care centers in the Centre Region.

But what’s so special about these blueberries?

“The blueberries are big, tasty and clean,” Jane said. “When you buy them, they’re ready to go.”

The berries have always been sourced from Whalen Farms in New Jersey. The blueberries are sold in a 10-pound box, about the size of a shoebox, Jane explained.

“They come in a refrigerated tractor-trailer from the farm,” Jerry said. “We’re the largest customer that they have. They basically bring a full tractor trailer-load of berries to us.”

Jane noted that, while 10 pounds of blueberries may seem like a lot to some, it’s easy to break down that 10 pounds into three-pound bags for freezing.

“A three-cup bag will make a pie,” she said, “but it also gives you a few blueberries for your cereal in the morning or on ice cream. ... Some people wash them and dry them and put them in the freezer; I just pop them in the freezer. It’s a whole lot easier and they don’t stick together. I’ve had berries for a whole year and they were as good the last day I used them as they were on the day I put them in.”

This year’s blueberry sale takes place Tuesday, June 28, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Online orders are accepted at www.kiwanisblueberrysale.com. Orders must be placed by June 21 and no sales will be made the day of the event. There’s no limit to the number of 10-pound boxes you can order and each box is $35.

When placing your order, the Wettstones recommend picking a convenient time for your pick-up to avoid lengthy waits, and, that while the online ordering software requests a tip, tips are not necessary. Though, they do note that, last year, the income generated by tips paid for all of the club’s event expenses, including tents and advertising.

The club is currently looking for volunteers to help the day of the sale, including with customer check-in and loading cars. Those interested in volunteering can reach Jerry and Jane at jerrywettstone@gmail.com and janewettstone0@gmail.com.

For those interested in the State College Kiwanis Club’s other projects and community fundraising, visit statecollegepakiwanis.com.