KNOXVILLE, Tenn (WVLT) -- This is the fourth year for the church ladies to make chocolate covered strawberries for Valentine's Day.

They made a few boxes this week but the real operation starts Saturday night at 6pm through Sunday morning, so the church members can pick up a fresh box.

The volunteers dip and smother bundles of berries.
Monica Smith-Albright says, "We go through thousands of pounds of strawberries, chocolate, pecans, coconut, and mini chocolate chips."

And they sure do make it look easy.

Monica says, "It takes so long to wash and dry the strawberries are so delicate.. and then the other part is the chocolate it gets hard really fast!."

Perhaps its their "system."

Dorothy Jarrett says, "We just focus on the end product, and we know it is going to be wonderful."

Last year they raised 9,000 dollars,this year they're hoping for more.

The money funds the Garden of Discovery Christian Academy, downstairs to the church.

"It is a christian preschool through second grade program here at Mt. Olive and we grow a little each year, says Smith-Albright who also runs the school."

And every year, the orders for the chocolate covered strawberries grow as well

And did we mention each box is hand picked and assembled with volunteer spirit?

Juanita Cannon says, "It is a joy to see the members come together, the children's eyes and the expression of the people who come get the boxes. They are like wow, this is an operation."

Place your order now!

They will deliver if one location has ten orders or more!