Sisters enjoyed good times at country fair

Every summer the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration hosts its traditional small-town country fair, and last weekend marked its 24th year. People come from all around the region for some good old-fashioned fun.

The lines at the Sweet Tooth booth started early as folks waited, despite the chilly overcast August morning, for their piece of Marionberry cobbler with or without vanilla ice cream.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department had their big red fire trucks on display to educate the community about fire safety.

“We’ve been coming here to the Country Fair over the years,” said Jeff Liming, volunteer captain and coordinator. “It’s a good learning experience and the kids get their own plastic fire hat.”

Jack Wales, a new volunteer to the firefighter program, was touring three-year-old Oliver around the wildland truck, engine, and ambulance.

Oliver, wearing a fire hat and Vancouver, Washington Fire Department shirt, was all smiles after his exciting excursion.

Sisters resident Carl Milchen and granddad to the boy, explained to The Nugget that Oliver’s aunt is a paramedic with the Vancouver Fire Department.

“His aunt bought that firefighter shirt for him and he won’t take it off,” Milchen said.

The Country Store is a big temptation at the fair, and it was bustling with folks that bought fresh vegetables, olive oils, home-baked goods, relishes, hand-knitted hats and even handmade doggie bandanas.

Eloise Barry of Sisters has been volunteering for the Country Store for over 15 years.

She said, “We were overloaded with food donations and didn’t have enough room to put all the baked goods that people made. So as soon as one thing sells, we put up more. All the proceeds go to the community. It’s a wonderful event.”

Church volunteer Phil Rodda was managing the produce at the Country Store.

“This year we had all these great looking vegetables donated by Jane Simmons from Schoolhouse Produce in Redmond.”

Hungry folks waited in line for cheeseburgers or a variety of hot dogs that Café Transfig offered.

Little folks were able to express their creative side at the Craft Booth and the Kid Zone area where anything was possible with painting, chalk-drawing, a bubble machine, a bouncy castle and other games with prizes.

Volunteer Jennifer King has been volunteering at the Craft Booth for many years.

King noted, “This year my 9-year-old daughter Siena King came up with all the craft ideas. We are making masks and fans out of white paper plates. The kids just add paint. We have dot art for the younger kids and beading to make rings.”

The silent auction from Friday evening continued with something for everyone. Items included art, jewelry, crystal, gift baskets and gift certificates.

Local artists Randall Tillery and Jennifer Hartwig demonstrated their craftsmanship in oils and scratch art.

“I am in the early stages of establishing the light on one of my scratch art pieces,” Hartwig said.

Hartwig had mugs and mother-of-pearl jewelry for sale with her art imprinted on each piece.

“I make everything in-house with a shop in my basement. I use a special ink that comes out of a printer and I bake it at a high temperature in the oven,” she said. “It’s really important for me to offer my art in other forms.”

Volunteer Jimmy Loudermilk, a Sisters resident and Episcopal Church member, was grinding some huge apples in a 144-year-old apple press.

Volunteer A’Journe Spyker bought the cider press five years ago in Southwest Washington.

“The kids love to help crank away,” he said. “First you just place a few apples in the mill where they get chewed by two gears. They drop into the first basket and then you switch the baskets and then the screw squeezes the chewed apples and makes the juice.”

The apples were donated from Ray’s Food Place in Sisters. There was no charge for the delicious cider. Donations were accepted.

Kids love having art on their faces, and over at the Face Painting Booth Alessandra Wentworth, a sophomore at Sisters High School, was painting a white tiger on 8-year-old Milo’s face.

Wentworth enjoys art but has high hopes of becoming an equine vet and chiropractor.

Proceeds from the Country Fair have raised thousands of dollars for the church’s outreach programs in the Sisters community.