I hope you’re eagerly anticipating next month’s Fall Festival, scheduled for October 14th, 5-8 pm at the Student Activities Field on Shippensburg University Campus. In the fifth year of its resurrection, it is a GBLUES tradition that gets better every year. We do make a bit of money, and proceeds happily benefit the school camp fund, but Fall Festival is primarily a big party that you don't want to miss. The food is always excellent, and the children very happy as they enjoy carnival-style games, autumnal-themed natural crafts, and a range of activities. This year, planned activities include a zip line, hay ride, cupcake walk, a new science zone, dress-up & photo area, puppet theatre, fortune teller, and bike pump-powered rockets. Children’s craft wristbands are $3, and you can do as many games and activities as you’d like for $5. We’ve decided preschool children may attend and play for free.
We are lucky to get a lot of university student support, but we need the support of GBLUES parents as well. Please consider helping with one of the following:
*Donations: we need baked goods (sign-ups coming soon--bake sale and cupcake walk) and gently used games & books for the prize store (there will be boxes in the lobby to collect them).
*Planning: with such an early festival, much of this has been done, but I would love a new parent volunteer to coordinate the carnival games this year. University students will do some, and we have a source for several pre-made others, but we need a leader to pull all of those together. Could it be you?
*Work parties: I’ve planned three making events:
(1) Thursday, September 29th, , 6 pm. While the parents talk festival business during the evening PTO meeting, children and a few helpers will be working on festival decorations in the art room.
(2) Tuesday, October 4th, 8-11 am in the office conference room. We’ll work on organizing and preparing supplies for the crafts and prize table.
(3) Friday, October 7th, 1:30-3:30 pm in the conference room. Children are welcome during the after-school portion. We’ll work on signs to organize our festival.
*Day-of help. Food preparation and set up start at noon, and we can use particular help during the witching hours of 4-6 pm. Parents are needed to help serve food and to fill in spaces in the craft and activity areas.
Please feel free to contact me with your interests and ideas. We're open to everything, but of course implementation will depend on volunteer availability--if you really believe in your idea, go ahead and offer to lead the charge! vfgoates@gmail.com or 422-4255.
See you on the 14th!
Valerie Goates
Fall Festival Enthusiast
