VALDOSTA — Temple Israel hopes to feed more than 10 percent of the Valdosta population later this month with the annual Kosher Corned Beef Sandwich fundraiser.

The area Hebrew congregation has set a goal of making and selling more than 6,000 sandwiches, said Carol Mohaban, a member of Temple Israel.

She and other Temple Israel members say 6,000 sandwiches is the maximum amount the congregation can produce.

Work started weeks ago. Congregation members and volunteers, such as Rotary Club members, have been sorting condiments and preparing boxes.

The corned beef is scheduled to arrive days before the sale then everyone works to slice the meat and make the sandwiches.

The sale started in 1998 and 2019 marks the 21st year for the sandwich sale. The effort has gone from 500 sandwiches the first year to 6,000 the past few years, said Louis Schmier, a Temple Israel member.

A percentage of the funds annually goes to different community charities. The Rotary-sponsored Dolly Parton Imagination Library has been designated for funds this year.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was established in 1995. It has become an international effort via partnerships with communities and organizations throughout the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

In Lowndes County, the Imagination Library program started in 2009 and has enrolled 3,081 children during the past decade. Registered children from birth to 5 years old are mailed a high-quality, age-appropriate book monthly at no cost to the child’s family.

In the past, Temple Israel has donated proceeds to Horseback Heroes, Boys & Girls Club, Hopes & Dreams, The Haven, Lowndes County Future Farmers of America, the Rotary Club’s law-enforcement support fund, etc. Schmier estimates thousands of dollars have been donated to area charities.

Additional proceeds fund the Temple’s operations, said Susan Rupright, a Temple Israel member.

But even with 6,000 sandwiches, if tradition holds, it won’t be enough.

Though it takes months of planning, approximately 50 area families within the congregation make and sell enough sandwiches to feed 10 percent of Valdosta within a three-day period.

The sandwich sale’s popularity, organizers say, can be attributed to the sandwiches’ consistency and simplicity.

Each year, ticketholders know what they are getting. There’s only one marquee menu item.

For a $12 ticket, a purchaser receives a third-pound of kosher Hebrew National corned beef sandwich, chips, dill pickle, drink, a dessert and condiments. That’s what patrons received during the sale’s first year. That’s what they will receive this year.

While the sale is a Valdosta tradition, South Georgia is a rare success for similar sales.

Other cities have tried similar sales but many have failed. Charleston, S.C., offered a diverse menu with several items; it stopped sandwich sales after the first year, according to Temple Israel.

Pensacola, Fla., wanted to deliver the sandwiches; this did not work.

In Valdosta, the sale works well with the simple prospect of good food and good causes.

Community residents are invited to volunteer with the preparation and sale by calling (229) 244-1813.

SANDWICH SALE

When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, March 22; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, March 24; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, March 25.

Where: Temple Israel, 511 Baytree Road.

Lunch: A third of a pound of kosher Hebrew National corned beef on rye bread, chips, kosher dill pickle, drink and dessert.

Cost: $12.

More information: Tickets can be purchased online at templeisrael-valdosta.org; or call (229) 244-1813. Tickets also available at Natural Health, Steel’s Jewelry, Kaleidoscope, Astro.