Scarecrow Fest is big draw at Fairgrounds

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Joe Dibley of Albion makes a scarecrow with his son Keegan, 6, and friend Aubriella Hucknall, 3, of Albion. They are stuffing hay into clothes.

They were among a crowd that made about 200 scarecrows today at the Orleans County 4-H fairgrounds in an event organized by the Medina Lions Club.

The crowd wasn’t deterred by a rainy day. The scarecrow-making was inside.

The biggest challenge for some of the people was fitting the scarecrows into their car.

“I can’t believe how big they are,” Dibley said.

This scarecrow is on an “operating table” and gets its clothes secured by Lions Club members Jim Hancock and Stacy Leavitt. About 40 Lions Club members participated in running today’s event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hancock and Tom Beach served as co-chairmen of the event.

Medina Lions Club member Jim Punch assists Brandi Mack of Lyndonville with a scarecrow.

Hunter and Vivianna D’Agostino of Gasport work together to stuff a scarecrow. The straw was donated by Ed Neal of Poverty Hills Dairy Farm in Albion and Ken Dunham.

The D’Agostintos have been coming to the scarecrow fest for at least three years. Their father, Vinny D’Agostino, said the scarecrows are very durable. The one the made a year ago has lasted all year. They use it to scare away birds from their chickens.

These pillows were decorated by Medina art students in Jen Scott’s classes.

The MAAC Thrift Shop in Medina provides the clothes for the scarecrows with any leftovers coming back for next year’s event.

Barden Homes in Middleport donates the wood for the T-posts to give the scarecrows some support for their backs and arms.

Pete Kaiser secures the hat on this scarecrow. He said there was a big rush of people this morning to make scarecrows.

Carol Bellack provides some assistance getting a hat on this scarecrow.

The Crawford family in Lyndonville made two scarecrows. They include Ashley, Cohlson, Harli and Aaron. Cohlson and Harli’s brother Roenen also helped make the scarecrows.

The Crawfords said they expected to put the scarecrow on a rocking chair on their porch.

The event also included a first-time “PumpkinPalooza” organized and judged by the Master Gardeners in Orleans County. Richard Gudgel won the award for “best-carved” pumpkin.

Other awards included “best decorated” for Tammy Leach and “ugliest gourd” for Lisa Lancaster.