Well, that was a doozey!
It was hard for The Beacon’s staff to keep up with all the excitement around town in Gander stemming from the Festival of Flight. The five-day event was a tightly-packed one.
Travelling through the community, it wasn’t hard to notice the level of enjoyment being experienced by those who got out of their homes to get involved with the breakfast, RC Fun Fly, horseshoe competition, and other relaxing activities. Whether the breakfast is relaxing on the arteries we can leave for another day (hint: offer some lighter options next year).
Putting together a festival like this requires a lot of effort from volunteers, and those who came out this year to help with the festival should be applauded.
For those who might only come out to community events once a year for something like the Festival of Flight, consider the fact there are groups organizing activities throughout the year. Many of those who held events during the festival would love to have new members join them for the rest of the year.
Likewise, those groups also need volunteers. The Gander Rod and Gun Club almost imploded earlier this year until a last-minute push managed to attract enough interest to fill its executive.
Ask around town about who needs what in terms of support – there’s little doubt you’ll hear a variety of different answers.
The Beacon also managed to make stops on the weekend in Gambo and Eastport for summer festivities in those communities. Smallwood Days had a bundle of activities planned in Gambo, including a moving plaque dedication event for the late-Second World War veteran, Matthew Brown.
There was a fine crowd on hand for the ecumenical service, and the words spoken by Nelson Granter about Mr. Brown’s experiences during the war were harrowing.
Then, down in Eastport, SeaFest had a busy crowd on hand for a Sunday afternoon of music, food, games, and beverage. That’s a pleasant combination of items.
Of course, all three had events catering to such interests available to those interested.
Here’s a toast to summer fun and all those who put in the effort to make it happen.
info@ganderbeacon.ca
.jpg)
.jpg)
