Five local churches and civic organizations are collectively about $20,000 richer with funds to donate back into community following the May 15 and 16 Batesville SpringFest.

It is a function of the annual fun weekend on the Square that we often forget while we are enjoying SpringFest food, entertainment and visiting.

Civitan Ricky Swindle said his club grossed about $8,140 which, after expenses, will fund their many service projects in the community. And even their expenses will be paid mostly to local businesses from whom they purchased their groceries and supplies.

Sardis Lake Christian Camp raised about $1,800, Zac Williams said, selling fried chicken tenders, corn on the cob, fried pies and ice cream. The camp set up a booth at SpringFest for the second year.

“It has just gotten our name out there,” said Zac’s wife, Crissy, counting another benefit of their presence.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church Knights of Columbus grossed about $6,000 — “a little less than last year,” Mary Troxler said, recalling short rain interruptions on Saturday. Funnel cakes, nachos and cheese, boiled peanuts, big sausages, pickles. And did we mention funnel cakes?

The Batesville Rotary Club’s barbecue sales proceeds were unavailable at this writing, but you may recall that SpringFest’s origins date back to 1986 when Dr. Marshall Meacham wanted his club to make a big donation to Rotary International’s polio eradication program and Ray Lipe came up with the idea of selling barbecue on the Square to raise the money.

PACE — Personal Assistance in Community Existence — a new organization was there for its first SpringFest, spokesman Betty Steward said. PACE raised almost $3,400 for its work in promoting support, information and acceptance of people suffering from mental illness and their families. Steward said PACE’S booth selling hamburgers, hot dogs, fudge cakes, tea and lemonade also helped raise community awareness of the organization. That is, until their sign blew away during a short rain shower.

Then, “they thought we were Wells Funeral Home,” she said.