CORNFEST 2018

Well, Cornfest is over.  Was it a success?  Fairly good I suppose. 
It was showering all Friday, and we decided if it was raining, we would not go.  Saturday morning came and it was just showering, so we decided to go ahead and set up, but not in time for the first shift to work.  

Judith had all supplies needed except for the canopy which had been set up the evening before.  When she got there, she luckily found a parking space fairly close and unloaded.  The canopy was not in good shape from the wind/rain the night before.  Some extra work needed to be done so the top would stay up.  Thankful for friends who helped!!!

We were also thankful for Lois Browning and Walla DeRosear, who volunteered to help out in the booth.  They "officially" began their shift at 10:00 a.m.  Judith and  Marsha were also there.  Lynn VanDolah had been scheduled to work the 8-10 a.m. shift, and did stop by to see if we needed her.  Thank you Lynn for offering and we will need your help in December!!!

I know I should have taken some pictures, but it showered off and on all morning...not hard, but enough to make it miserable...especially with the northeast wind blowing fairly steadily. Several workers had on their winter jackets, and all had SOMETHING warmer than just shirt sleeves!  But amazingly enough, the ground did not get muddy as we stood/walked in the booth...although nearly all reported cold feet!  

Judith had let several workers know the evening before we would quite likely NOT set up, so she and Marsha manned the booth the rest of the day.  Rain began falling harder about 1:30 or so, and by 2:15, the booths around us were going ahead and closing up, so we decided to do that as well.  Crowd was very sparse by that time.  

But with all that, we did get enough for 24 more wreaths (most of those grave-specific).  After Tuesday's coffee, enough was sent in for 37 more wreaths, making our total at this point 98 wreaths.  This is below our goal, so if you haven't yet purchased a wreath, please send to Novelty Senior Citizen's PO Box 65 Novelty MO  63460.  They are $15 per wreath and please specify if you wish it to be grave specific or for a particular cemetery.  Thank you.

We also had a raffle for a toque.  The  stocking cap was designed with the USA in mind--stars and stripes in red, white and blue.  It was hand-knitted by Jana, who lives in Canada, although she grew up here in Novelty.  We thank her so much for donating the toques.  Yes, she gave us two.  We drew for one--with the winner being Karisha Devlin.  Congratulations Karisha and enjoy wearing it to keep warm this winter.  We kept all those raffle tickets and will try to sell a few more to give away the second toque later in the fall.  So if interested, contact us at the above address and we'll sell you some raffle tickets--three chances for $1.  Pretty good buy for a hand-knitted cap!

We also gave out information on the Stem to Stone project by WAA:  a for-free project that you send in the information for your deceased veteran and they will make a dog tag and place it on one of the trees on the tree farm in Maine.  Every three years boughs are pruned from that tree, which are used to make the  wreaths.  It is a living memorial to your veteran.  You may contact the WAA website at  www.wreathsacrossamerica.org     
to find out about the program and to get the form to fill out to mail in. 

Guess that is all about the Cornfest.  Enjoy the fall!