Fun, Fun, Funds

OXNARD — Wearing a sign advertising fresh fruit smoothies and strawberry pastries, soccer dad Steve Monka waded through the Strawberry Festival crowd Sunday trying to drum up business.

It was not easy work.

With the festival offering a range of strawberry-themed concoctions--from crepes to shortcake to strawberry pizza--the competition was fierce.

But the efforts by Monka and other vendors were for a good cause--raising money for their nonprofit groups.

“Our smoothies are all fresh fruit--no fillers,” said Monka, adding that most people are usually too hungry to care that all proceeds go to the American Youth Soccer Organization’s summer tournament in Hawaii.

“They don’t want to stand and listen too long,” he said, noting that this was his group’s first time selling at the festival. “So you just get them to go buy the food.”

On Sunday, throngs of visitors streamed through the grounds at Oxnard College for the final day of the 1997 California Strawberry Festival, strolling hand-in-hand, maneuvering baby carriages and pushing through the crowds to get to the food. Although the weekend weather was a brew of humidity, light showers and some wind, about 35,000 visitors attended the festival Sunday.

That boosted weekend attendance to 62,000, compared to more than 78,000 visitors last year.

For the dozens of nonprofit groups hoping to raise money for their charitable organizations, the big crowds over the weekend translated into big bucks.

But with so much food to choose from, some of the vendors developed gimmicks and eye-catching techniques to lure customers.

Dressed in a red-and-white-striped apron, Sherry Williams stood outside the Tried Stone Church of God in Christ booth, offering passersby free samples of the church’s homemade hot links, tri-tip and sweet potato pie.

Each year for the past four years, the group has raised more than $2,500 at the festival.

“No waiting in line!” Williams hollered to the sea of people surging past.

“What we offer is excellent,” said Williams. “We don’t worry about the competition because as far as we are concerned, we’re the best.”

Still other groups, such as the Black American Political Assn. of California, went one step further to spread the word.

The Strawberry Festival brings in about one-third of the group’s annual fund-raising total, said the organization’s chairman Michael Alexander.

Slicing through the Strawberry Festival crowd, Alexander carried a decadent Kool Strawberry Kup--stuffed with whipped cream, powdered sugar, chocolate fudge and, of course, strawberries--to draw customers to his booth.

“It’s better than having just signs,” said Alexander, as he licked the melting whipped cream off the top. “When you see the many dimensions of this treat, it’s a different thing.”

Joined by Tamara Grimball--holding a deep, red cup of strawmonade, complete with a strawberry and a cocktail umbrella--the pair gave a one-two punch to their organization’s fund-raising.

Indeed, eye-catching signs and group logos were important for visitors like Gladys Lee, daughter Brenda Sharp and granddaughter Stephanie Sharp.

The three women ventured to the Strawberry Festival from Altadena and were eager to scarf down strawberry shortcake.

“We have a lot of walking to do,” Lee said. “That is the closest sign I see, so that is where we will go.”