200 make creative scarecrows at fairgrounds in Medina Lions Club event

Photos by Ginny Kropf: This family were kids at heart when they came to make their own scarecrow. From left are Maegan Zeller of Wilson, who intends to take her creation to her classroom in Wilson, where she teaches; Kimberly Eick of Medina; and Karen Eick of Nashville, who plans to take her Bills-attired scarecrow home in the front seat with her.

KNOWLESVILLE – The Medina Lions’ 2022 Scarecrow Fest attracted 200 people to the 4-H fairgrounds on Saturday.

Held in the Lartz Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, the event brought families from throughout the area.

Organizer Sherry Wheatley she had been collecting clothing all year to make sure they had enough shirts and pants. Those left over will be stored for next year, along with the T-posts which were cut and donated by Barden Homes.

Wheatley’s mother Pauline Lanning of Albion has volunteered every year to cut and sew the heads, making 400 for this year, in case they surpassed last year’s record 300.

Piles of straw also provided a lot of fun for kids to play in while their parents stuffed scarecrows.

The Art Class at Medina High School and Barb Jantzi painted faces on the heads, and no two were alike, Wheatley said.

For those who wanted to paint their own face, there was a table with markers.

Adam and Kristine Stockwell and their children K.J. and Penelope came from Buffalo after seeing it advertised on Facebook. They didn’t see anything like it in their area and they wanted to make a scarecrow, Kristine said.

Meagan Zeller teaches in Wilson High School and came with her future sister-in-law Kimberly Eick and Karen Eick from Nashville. Meagan said her scarecrow will probably make it to her classroom, while Karen said her Bills-attired scarecrow was going to sit on the front seat beside her on the drive home.

Lion Tom McGrane of Medina explain the procedure to K. J., Penelope and their parents Kristine and Adam Stockwell of Buffalo.

There were new features this year. Patty Caleb of Medina bought a booth to sell her stuffed dogs, and they were selling like hotcakes.

Wheatley said they came up with a new idea for scarecrow heads. They pulled three pair of panty hose over a head and then braided the six legs together. They looked adorable, she said.

A table was set up with assorted colored markers for the child who wanted to design his own face. One was Emma Lilleby, 7, of Medina. Emma’s mom had painted her daughter’s face like a scarecrow. She said Emma loved to draw and chose to make her own face.

Jarred Saj, left, sews a scarecrows arms together, while Dean Bellack measures out a lengthy of string.

Jarred Saj and Dean Bellack of Medina “operated” at one of the three surgical tables, sewing the scarecrows together. Bellack asked everyone to give their scarecrow a name.

The piles of straw to stuff the scarecrows were also popular for kids to play in.

The Scarecrow Fest is not only popular with kids, but adults as well. Hallie Gray and Steven Long of Medina came with his sister and two kids, but made a scarecrow for themselves. Grandparents came and just watched the beehive of activity.

Boy Scout Troop 28 did a brisk business selling hot dogs, chili, corn chowder, hot chocolate, water, banana boats and smores.

“We put a lot of work into this,” Wheatley said.

Proceeds from all Lions’ events go back for projects to help the community.

A festive Halloween display greeted visitors to the Lions Club’s annual Scarecrow Fest Saturday at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Pauline Lanning of Albion, mother of the Scarecrow Fest’s founder Sherry Wheatley, spent three months cutting and sewing 400 heads. They were painted by the Art Class at Medina High School and Barb Jantzi.

Jack Hansler of Medina staples heads onto the T-posts before they are stuffed.

Emma Lilliby, 7, of Medina, whose mom painted her face like a scarecrow, chose to draw her own face on her scarecrow head.