Ramsey Fine Arts Council

Ramsey Celebrates the Fall with the Fourth Annual Harvest Festival 

The Ramsey Fine Arts Council (RFAC) hosted the fourth Annual Harvest Festival last Sunday, October 15^th to benefit Crop Walk.  Over 1,500 people attended this year’s festivities, which included pumpkin painting, square dancing, face painting, a recipe taste-off and crafts for all ages.  In addition, to all the festivities, $1,700 was raised for CROP Walk thanks to donations from Westy Storage, Shop Rite, Dunkin Donuts (Ramsey Drive Thru), Secor Farms, Starbucks and Home Depot.  

This was the third year for the pumpkin seed spitting and pie eating contests.  The seed spitting drew more than 75 children.   The winner in the 11 and under heat was Zachary Rockefeller with a distance of six feet.  In the 12 and over heat, the winner was Elizabeth Montouro with an uncontested distance of three feet.  The pie-eating contest was not for those with a weak stomach.  Each heat contained 12 entrants that raced to finish an apple or pumpkin pie piled high with whipped cream.  There were two winners in the 11 and under category including Danielle Fico.  Alexandra Rockefeller won the 12 and over heat.  This year also included an adult heat, which had a photo finish with Geoff Garabedian as champion.

Later, local bakers filled the cafeteria with the fragrance of homemade recipes featuring apples or pumpkins.  Cakes, cookies, pies, and muffins were offered for judges:  Dennis McNerney, Bergen County Executive, Peter Del Vecchio, Chair of the RFAC and Jackie Gersht, Girl Scout Leader for Troops 912 and 1341.  The winners were Karen Heffler, for her pumpkin cheesecake crunch squares, and Jackie Padorano, for her apple crisp. Both recipes will be included in the Ramsey Centennial Cookbook in 2008. 

Special thanks to the tireless volunteers including the Junior Women’s Club, Girl Scout Troops 912 & 1341, the Church of Abundant Life, the Women’s Club as well as to Jeanne Jaekel, Tina Lanning, Bart Cohen, Karen & Steve Heffler, and Charlie Kaczorowski.

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