Selling customized pins and stickers of favorite Mercy teachers, many students look forward to Salmagundi.

Salmagundi is a fundraiser for the Junior Classical League (JCL) where members create handmade crafts and treats to sell. 

“The money [raised] is used for Latin events and programming throughout the year,” said Latin teacher Mrs. Lauren Marquard. “It’s also used to help fundraise for field trips and other events.”

Similar to many other Mercy events, Salmagundi has also been affected by COVID-19, but Mrs. Marquard and JCL members adapted their event to help keep the Mercy community safe.

“Traditionally, Salmagundi is held in December because it was initially created by this woman named Sister Marjorie as a Pre-Christmas fun sale,” said Mrs. Marquard. “This year Gov. Whitmer shut down the schools in Mid-November, so we had to brainstorm other days where [Salmagundi] might work.”

The fundraiser is now being held near the end of January. Along with the date, many of the items usually sold at Salmagundi have to be changed as well.

“Typically, Salmagundi features a variety of chocolate dipped and covered treats, such as pretzels and oreos,” said junior Mary Katharine Acho Tartoni. “However, with the pandemic, we really had to adjust what we were going to sell. This year, we are focusing on a prepackaged candy bar, custom pins and teacher stickers, so that it remains a safe and fun experience for everyone.”

From Sour Patch Kids to Kit Kat bars, Salmagundi’s new candy bar will have a wide array of candy to please anyone’s sweet tooth. Different sized bags will be available to purchase. Then, students will be able to pick the candy they want and fill their bags to the brim.

Although the fundraising event has changed in some ways, Mercy students are still excited for the treats and goodies at Salmagundi.