Pumpkin Painting at Arts Fest 2016
On Saturday September 24, 2016 we had a nice turnout of kids and families for our pumpkin painting event at the Hudson Park Greenhouse as part of the New Rochelle / Pelham Arts Fest. We were listed as a featured activity in the Art Fest brochure that was mailed to every household in New Rochelle and also benefited from some great sunny weather.
Through the course of the day, we had a steady stream of kids, families and participants of all ages. They painted fresh pumpkins and also small flower pots retrieved from the greenhouse shortly after it closed years ago. Kids (and adults) contributed to murals with the theme, “Save the Greenhouse” and also were able to get their faces painted (“Mom, you have to do yours too…”). They came for our activities, picnicked on the grass and in the nearby plant maze and spent a great afternoon in a beautiful setting. Older folks shared stories about their memories of the greenhouses, the former environmental center at Wildcliff Manor and of Hudson Park.
Many thanks to our talented artistic mentors/ face painters, Camille Nakashima and Sophie de Caen and the 5 volunteers from New Rochelle High School Key Club (President Sebastian Contreras, Jack Hessel, Jacob Gruza, Tristan Awayan and Jeff Talan).
We collected $105.72 in donations as well as names and contact information from participating families. Kudos to Margaret Chadwick for conceiving the pumpkin painting idea and big congratulations to fellow committee members, Theresa Kump Leghorn and Angela Taylor, for their work in organizing a successful Arts Fest. It was a great afternoon in the park.
