Smiles abound at annual Country Fair

Smiles were brighter than the sunshine at the Country Fair held for the 11th year at Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration on Saturday, August 12. It was easy to forget the Lake George wildfire while walking through the crowds and sampling the wares.

The Country Fair is an annual event that gives back to the Sisters community in a number of ways. Father Ted Rodrigues, Pastor of the Church of the Transfiguration explained that the fair has changed a great deal over the years as it has evolved to meet the needs of the community.

The Juried Art Show is a separate event that has been joined to the Country Fair and starts the day before the official opening of the fair. The Art Show was a wonderful success with many local artists represented. It featured, among other things, a silent auction and a cross section of different art forms and media.

"The ultimate purpose of the fair is an outreach to raise money and to give back to the community," Father Rodrigues said. "None of the money raised at this event will go to church projects; 100 percent will go to charities and directly back to our community."

He went on to say, "We want to provide a break where children and adults can have a good time and relax, so we can give back to the community in that way, too."

Wandering around the event, it was obvious that the Fair had succeeded in BOTH the good time and relaxation departments. The scene was reminiscent of an event portrayed in a Norman Rockwell painting with happy children and adults wandering throughout the maze of tents, booths and stalls offering a variety of edibles and crafts.

It was an event that was vintage Americana and brought back memories of this reporter's youth. And I must add that the Marionberry cobbler put a genuine Norman Rockwell smile on my face.

Preparation began months ago with the canning and testing of various recipes and the production of the items that would be sold. Although the fair was sponsored by the Episcopal church, vendors and attendees represented a cross section of the community.

Last year, more than $13,500 was given back to the community through funds raised by the Episcopal Church at the Country Fair and Art Show. Predictions are that this year will be an even greater success, although the totals are not yet in.

The largest recipient from funds raised by the church last year was EDFK (Every Dollar Feeds Kids), which received $3,000. EDFK is a charity that tries to make a difference with starving children of the world. EDFK's main focus was originally the children of Cuernavaca, Mexico; however, EDFK has now become a true international organization, serving the needs of those beyond Mexico.

At a more local level, Arts Discovery at Sisters Middle School, Sisters Kiwanis Club Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Head Start, IVC (Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers) and TFG (Together For Children) each received a $1,000 donation last year.

When asked about the smoke from the Lake George fire, Father Rodrigues said that there was a little around the church grounds on Saturday morning, but the smoke from cooking quickly overrode that from the wildfire. Participants and attendees alike were able to forget for a while the area's second fire of the season.

Father Rodrigues said that one of the important lessons of the Country Fair is that work to help our community can be fun. He added that in that light the Country Fair was a great success. Father Rodrigues hopes that this event will inspire other organizations to host fun events to support the needs of our community.