By Kathy Onorato
Isaac Hayden comes up for air during the pie eating contest in Whitefield Sept. 13. (Kathy Onorato photo) |
With Saturday morning temperatures in the upper 50s Sept. 13, Whitefield Community Day took a little while to heat up.
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Haley Webb (left) and Ashley Kalloch design sun catchers during Whitefield Day Sept. 13. (Kathy Onorato photo) |
“I would have liked to have seen warmer temperatures,” said event organizer Sue McKeen.
By noon, a good-size crowd had gathered at the Whitefield Town Office parking lot to spend time with their neighbors and friends. A road race, art show, silent
auction, music, crafts, games for children, a flea market, an antique road show, and a chain saw art demonstration were just a few of the activities enjoyed by visitors.
Whitefield Community Day is truly a community event, McKeen said.
This year Whitefield taxpayers voted to fund $1,000 for the event, which covered the cost of renting the tent, McKeen said. “Other than that everything is donated,”
she said.
McKeen said the Whitefield Lions’ Club helped to fund the event again this year as did several local businesses and residents.
The Grand Army 5K road race began the day and raised nearly $600 for the Whitefield Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Association. The money will be used for the
school’s new playground. According to race director and PTA member Anthony Anderson, about 50 runners took part in the event.
“The most important thing is people came out to get activity,” Anderson said. “We are trying to get away from bake sales by promoting healthier activities.”
Anderson said Whitefield now has a running club and students in grades K to 6 are encouraged to participate. The club will be meeting Mondays and Wednesdays through
mid October at the Whitefield Elementary School. Fun Runs be held on Wednesdays, beginning Sept. 24. For more information contact Anderson at 441-9738 or aandersonfit5@gmail.com.
One of the more competitive events was the pie eating contest in which Lisa Kalloch, representing the town’s PTA came out on top, consuming three pies in three
minutes. Isaac Hayden, 10, who finished a close second, eating two pies, was disappointed with his finish.
“I was surprised I didn’t do more,” Hayden said. “I can usually eat 10 (pies).”
In an interview after the contest, Kalloch admitted she had a tummy ache, but said she still might enter next year’s contest.
“I’ll have to wait to see what next year brings,” she said.
As for her prize, a homemade blueberry pie, Kalloch said she planned on taking it home to the family but did not expect to have any.
Whitefield resident and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Detective Scott Hayden brought K-9 partner Koda along to demonstrate the dog’s ability to track scents to
find lost persons and suspects.
Local musicians, The Whitefields, Double Jinx and Cigar Box Junkies provided free entertainment throughout the day. Double Jinx featured Connor McKeen and Milo
Caputo, two Whitefield Elementary School eighth graders, who excited the crowd with their rock sound.
The day concluded with a spaghetti supper and entertainment at the Arlington Grange.
