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Hughesville races, raises funds for food bank
Inaugural festival attracts families
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by NANCY BROMLEY McCONATY
Karen Shaw, a volunteer with the Hughesville Festival committee, organizes nonperishable food items she collected as admission to the festival Saturday.
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Turnout was sparse for the Hughesville Festival on Saturday, but the good spirits and camaraderie among those who attended the event more than made up for the lack of a crowd.
The Hughesville Running Club hosted the event from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the village of Hughesville.
The business section of Leonardtown Road from the Hughesville Bargain Barn to Route 231 was closed to traffic to allow visitors to stroll up and down the street to sample a variety of food from several eateries, listen to live music performed by the Wanderers in the afternoon and check out crafts and antiques inside the bargain barn.
The festival kicked off with a kids' fun run followed by 5K and 10K races for adults. Several surrounding streets were closed so that the runners could race safely. Carleigh Ruleman sang the national anthem before the races began.
Pauleen Brewer, one of the festival's organizers, said that 130 adults participated in the 5K and 10K runs and about two dozen youngsters participated in the kids' fun run.
Several activities continued throughout the day, including a giant slide, moon bounce and face painting for the kids.
The Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department on Route 231 also held an open house during the festival.
Admission to the event was a nonperishable food item or 50 cents to help restore the depleted shelves of the Southern Maryland Food Bank in Hughesville before the winter sets in.
Brenda DiCarlo, manager of the food bank, said that volunteers collected about two medium-sized tubs full of food during the festival.
Karen Shaw, a volunteer with the Hughesville Festival committee, sat all day next to a tub near the intersection of Leonardtown Road and Route 231 to collect nonperishable food items for the food bank.
"It's been very good," she said around 2 p.m. Saturday. "People have been coming in sporadically. We've had a wonderful turnout."
Several festival visitors who live nearby said it was nice to be able to walk to an event.
"We live here in town," said Joan Grandy. "We decided to come down and check out the festival. We're having a wonderful time."
Peg Carter, a member of the Hughesville Festival committee, set up a table to sell postcards with photos that depicted Hughesville through the years.
"We would have liked to see it a little bit busier, but the people who have stopped by are nice," she said. "We're doing OK. It's been a lot of work, but a lot of fun. I'm happy with the turnout."
Johnnie DeGiorgi, who is already setting his cap to run for the District 2 Charles County commissioners' seat in 2010, stopped by the festival.
"For the first time the turnout is all right," he said. "Next year it will be bigger."
Mechanicsville resident Kristy Kans decided to take her 2-year-old daughter, Kitty, on a ride on a bright red miniature fire engine operated by Greg Korzeniowski of Fantasy World Entertainment.
"It's fun," Kans said. "It's good for Hughesville and for the businesses and charities in town."
Jill Davis of State Farm Insurance in Hughesville did child fingerprint kits during the festival.
"It's been great," she said. "A lot of people have come by. The Good Neigh Bear bear has given out a lot of hugs today."
Mary Kaye Haynes, owner of Hughesville Jazzercise and Fitness Center, set up a booth to let people know about the services she offers at her business.
"It's a wonderful first run for the festival," she said. "It will be bigger and better next year. It's been a cool day with all of the folks stopping by. They're all friendly and happy. This is what it's all about. I'm really enjoying it."
Beltsville resident Jennalyn Yon, 13, drew a large crowd when she provided musical entertainment during the Wanderers' intermission.
"She sings a lot at county fairs and she wins a lot of awards," said her father, Kerry Yon. "She's looking to get into a group."
Brewer said she hopes to draw a bigger crowd next year. The event was originally scheduled in September, but the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna forced the event to be rescheduled.
Between 300 and 400 people turned out for the event, Brewer said, adding that 812 pounds of food was collected and $50 was raised from the admission.
The festival committee raised enough money to present Hughesville VFD and the Hughesville Baseball Association with a $1,000 check each, Brewer said.
"This was an inaugural event so we were pleased with the turnout," she said Monday. "We had nothing but positive feedback from people. They were already asking us what we were planning to do next year at the festival."
People who attended the event said that they would like to see more family-oriented events like the Hughesville Festival in Charles County.
"This is wonderful; there's great food and a lot of activities for the kids," said La Plata resident Julie McCowan, who attended the festival with her husband, Joel, and their two daughters. "This is a great family event."
"It's very nice," said Diana Donahue while waiting for a hot dog from Pat Reilly's Deputy Dogs stand.
"I like that the road is closed off. That makes it easy to walk or ride bikes in a relaxed atmosphere."
"This is a good way for the community to get familiar with the local police and fire department and all of the local businesses," said Sharon Reilly. "I've run into a lot of people today that I haven't seen in a long time."
nmcconaty@somdnews.com
