From left, Harvest Fest Co-Chairs Christine Hayden and Kim Kennedy and Sickles School Nurse Nora Navarro and her daughter Sophie display information and ideas for the Teal Pumpkin Project.

Press release from Fair Haven School District

Saturday, October 3 came in on a wave of coastal flood warnings and hurricane trackings — but despite having to relocate from its usual out-of-doors venue to the All Purpose Room of Knollwood School, The Fair Haven School District’s annual “Harvest Fest” was once again a resounding success. And on an autumn afternoon more soggy than crisp, the inclement weather could not dampen the enthusiasm of volunteers or attendees at the fundraiser for the Fair Haven Parent Teacher Association.

Harvest Fest 2015 featured a plethora of games, a pumpkin decorating contest, and exciting live performances. Refreshments available for purchase included soup and sandwiches from BFF Market in Fair Haven. Seed to Sprout, a new Fair Haven eatery, generously donated cookies to the bake sale, which also featured homemade baked goods.

Approximately 100 parent and school-age volunteers (from seventh grade through high school) kept the action going for the large crowd. PTA Co-Chairs for this year’s Harvest Fest were Christine Hayden and Kim Kennedy.

Sickles School third-grader Ryan Rawlins and her brother PJ, a sixth-grader at Knollwood School, prepare to cast their votes in the pumpkin decorating contest.

Participants earned “Boo Bucks” in games such as “Wheel of Boo,” “Pumpkin Plinko,” “Ring Around the Scarecrow,” “Toss a Tarantula,” “Monster Mash Pyramid Crash,” and “Blizzard of  Dollars.” Other activities included “Pumpkin Painting,” “Nasty Nails,” “Madame Fortuna,” and “Sandy Candy.” At the prize booth, Boo Bucks were exchanged for a variety of fun Halloween-themed merchandise.

Harvest Fest also featured performances by the Dance Team from Kick Dance Studios and by students from Fair Haven Karate.

“I continue to be impressed by the tremendous commitment and work by all of the Harvest Fest committee members,” said Fair Haven School District Superintendent Nelson Ribon. “This year’s event was the only show in town, and they did not disappoint our guests.”

Winners of the Pumpkin Decorating contest, sponsored by local businesses Distinctive Toys, Crazees, Gracie and the Dudes, and Yo Mon, were “Dunkin’ Pumpkin” by Will and Jack Halcrow (1st place); “Dragon” by Grady Shanley (2nd place); “Football Girls” by Cortland McBarron, Katherine Olson, and Ellie Sanville (3rd place); “Shopkins” by Lilee and Jessie Martinelle (4th place), and “Emojis” by Allie Fugate and Sarah Neczesny (5th place).

Sickles School Nurse Nora Navarro was on hand to spread the word about the Teal Pumpkin Project, an initiative designed to create a safer and happier Halloween for children with food allergies.  Over 100,000 households plan to participate this year by providing low-cost non-food treats (glow sticks, bubbles, etc.) and indicating their participation by displaying a teal-colored painted pumpkin or a free sign from FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education). For more information, visit TealPumpkinProject.org or Nurse Navarro’s web page on the Fair Haven School District website: www.fairhaven.edu.