To the Editor:

The 53rd Annual Harvest Festival of Norwood is over and the committee wants to thank all who helped us make this event a delightful “work of our hands.” We were enthusing over the day’s success at our wrap-up meeting Tuesday.

The number of vendors was astounding, the scarecrows were astonishing, and the atmosphere was electric. We first thank the Norwood Businesses that created scarecrows representing their business. Throughout the day we’d hear young children squeal, “look, there’s another one!” Merriman’s, Norwood News Cafe, Laurie’s Casual Cuts, Webster’s, Simply Yarn, Cornerstone, and Second Chance Thrift, we thank you for delighting the children at the festival.

Next we thank the musicians, Nichole White and Josephine Steffenhagen, and Danielle Morse. You each performed beautifully and we look forward to more entertaining music to shop with next year. Well done. Andy Van Dyne took care of the sound system and the canned music for the “Happy Trails Bike Parade,” and played oldies to end the festival with; while gratitude also goes to Patti Dean for supplying food with the Key Club helping her in the Kiwanis Concession stand and delivering food to the vendors. A grateful addition from both Andy and Patti.

Thank you St. Philips Episcopal Church for face painting, St. Andrews Catholic Rosary and Altar for hosting the “guess the weight of the BIG pumpkin and how many candy corn in the jar, the Free Methodist Church for pumpkin golf, and Grace Bible Fellowship for pumpkin bowling. The church games were a big hit with both children and adults. Pumpkin Painting with Kris Rozelle and the Art and Crafts with Michelle Garrow were popular spots, too.

Many children produced something with the “work of their hands” and we thank you for letting them get creative.

The decorations for the Festival were gathered from several sources and beautifully displayed by Carolyn Halford from the Ashley House. The mums, cornstalks, pumpkins, bales of hay, and other items made the park look welcoming with a fall-like atmosphere. Definitely another job well done.

Then there was Ted and Lisa Levison who put out the tables and chairs for dining and resting, set the hay bales around the park, manned the information booth, and then put everything back at the end of the day. Lisa is one of our Village Trustees and we were so grateful for the work of their hands (and legs) that day. Another Trustee, Mike diVincenzo came just in time to be dressed as a scarecrow along with Dick, while two teams of young children had a relay race to see who could get their scarecrow dressed first. What fun that was.

Our last thank you goes to all the vendors who came with their handiwork and goods helping to make this “Our Best Harvest Festival Ever.” Because it was the first festival this committee was in charge of, we, of course, think it our best. Now wait until next year!

Dick and Sharon Bastille, Maureen Triolo, and Pat Mayo
Norwood