“It’s a nice tradition to keep going,” said Rita Kail, president of the United Women of Faith, the group that not only creates the baskets, but sells them as well. “It’s a joy to give, but that joy always comes back to you, too.”

According to Kail, nearly a dozen members of the local organization meet to create, design, and fill the May Day baskets.

“About four or five of us really enjoy making the baskets,” said Kail. “This year, we each made anywhere from 75 to 250 baskets each.”

Other members filled the baskets with puff corn and donated candy, and another member typed messages and scriptures that went into every basket.

“We got carried away, but everyone came together and when we sat back and looked at all of our hard work, it was just beautiful,” said Kail, who noted that most members are 70- to 80-years old.

With 700 baskets lined up on the tables at Gowrie United Methodist Church, the women opened the doors to the church at 7:30 a.m. Thursday to a crowd waiting to purchase the handmade gifts.

“Our baskets go all over,” said Kail. “There is one gentleman who comes from Fort Dodge every year, and another person who comes from Lake City. Some people buy them to take to work and other people put them in mailboxes. We’ve heard so many stories about where the baskets go.”

Of the 700 baskets, all but 53 sold on Thursday.

“We just sat in disbelief,” said Kail. “We thought that we overdid it, but we’re so glad that so many enjoy this tradition.”

The United Women of Faith use the proceeds from their May Day baskets to support nine different missions as well as to give money back to their church every quarter.

“It’s a lot of work,” said Kail. “But we have so much fun together.”