Success: this is how several of this year’s Charity Fair committee members have described the event.

Saturday, June 02, 2001

Success: this is how several of this year’s Charity Fair committee members have described the event.

This 15th annual fair, a fund raiser for the Lawrence County Catholic schools, was the best ever, co-chairwoman Kathy McKnight said.

"It was a huge success," committee member Chris Monte said. "We had community-wide support."

McKnight estimated that several thousand people attended the fair.

The events’ earnings will not be known until July, when ticket sales end for a computer raffle, but this year’s earnings most likely exceed last year’s, she said.

"It was a record-breaking year for what was made on the ground," co-chairwoman Sissy Clyse said.

Clyse, McKnight and Monte attributed the event’s success to the weather.

It was a pleasant surprise, McKnight said.

"About the middle of last week we all were really afraid it was going to rain all weekend."

However, only a little rain fell Sunday evening, and the weather was favorable the rest of the weekend.

Clyse said she thinks everyone who attended the fair was ready to be outside after so much rain.

Several of the events were particularly successful. The turnout for Boss Tweed, a local bluegrass band made up mostly of members of the Catholic community, Saturday night was particularly good, Clyse and McKnight said. Dr. Ludivina Dorado and Araceli Piamonte’s egg rolls and chow mein returned to the fair this year and were well-received, Clyse and Monte said. Also, the antique auction, which was new this year, raised $2,100, McKnight said.

Plans for future Charity Fairs are already beginning, McKnight said.

"We would really like to expand it for next year," she said.

The auction will probably become an annual event, and the games and rides will be revamped, McKnight said.

However, this year’s efforts are not completed yet. The raffle of a Compaq Presario computer will continue until July 5, Clyse said. Tickets are $1 each or seven for $5. Tickets can be purchased by contacting the co-chairpersons or at Charlie’s Tire Sales, Bob Clyse Oldsmobile-Pontiac-GMC Inc. and St. Joseph School.

Clyse and McKnight said they are thankful for the volunteers’ efforts.

"We had a lot of hard workers," Clyse said.

The fair could not exists without the students and their family members who help, McKnight said.

In particular, Steve Sydow, who did the electrical wiring for the event, and past committee chairmen Tim Selb, Paul Webb and Tim Colegrove, who gave the current committee guidance, were particularly appreciated, McKnight said.