The leaves are changing colors, the days are crisp and cool, and sweaters start to make an appearance. These are sure signs that Fall is upon us and for many in the Pine Run Community, it is a favorite season because our campus is alive with festivals and fun.
One of the first things that visitors and Villagers alike see as they enter the Pine Run Community Center is a selection of creative scarecrows decked out in costumes that delight. The scarecrow contest has become an annual tradition open to Villagers and Associates and each is a treat to see. One features the sparkles of a mummers costume, there’s a mermaid, several witches, Fall goddesses, and “The Saturday Knight,” sporting a bathrobe, a shower curtain cape, and cucumbers over the ”eyes.”
The Pine Run Villager Association hosted a Fall plant sale with proceeds supporting Villagers’ activities. Mums were the best sellers and it’s exciting to see the plants bloom all over campus on porches, balconies, at front doors, and in offices.
The Pine Run Fall Festival took place in early October and it was a weekend filled with families and fun for Villagers and Associates. The rain held off enough so that outdoor activities like catch-and-release fishing in the Pine Run pond could take place. Villagers and Associates helped the youngest members of the Pine Run family to bait a hook, learn how to cast, and reel in their catch. The stocked fish in the pond cooperated and delighted the kids.
The Craft Barn hosted pumpkin painting, for young and old alike, and a chance to see the Pine Run Rails in action.
Every corner of the Pine Run Community Center was buzzing with activity. A caricaturist captured smiling faces, a photo booth provided an opportunity to don props and costumes with family and friends, and the auditorium hosted a market to purchase handmade fine arts and crafts created primarily by Villagers, including handmade stationary, birdhouses, turned pens, and other works of art from the Pine Run Woodshop, raffle baskets, and sale items from Pine Run’s thrift store.
It wouldn’t be a festival without a feast and the Pine Run Dining team didn’t disappoint. The menu for the day included house-smoked brisket, barbeque chicken, and other grilled favorites — hots dogs and hamburgers — with all of the fixings: baked beans, mashed potatoes, and many other goodies.
Dessert was also on the menu with the opportunity to purchase treats from the Villager Association Bake Sale. 44 Villagers baked hundreds of plates of cookies, brownies, breads, and bars, as well as treats for our canine friends.
“The Fall Festival is a beloved annual tradition that can only take place with countless hours of Villager volunteer efforts,” said Maria Santangelo, Pine Run Executive Director. “The Fall Festival committee has worked on this year’s event for months, planning activities, creating arts and crafts to be sold, baking, and coordinating. Seeing the faces of Villagers, their grandchildren, and our Associates’ families coming together to celebrate the season together is truly a joy.”