08/18/01 Harvest Festival Preview

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Monday December 31, 2001

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Photos By Joe Gigli

Denville - (above) Dave Baldwin and his daughter, Ann Marie, of Boonton and Beau and Laura Kennedy, of Denville, leaders of the 2001 Saint Clare's Harvest Festival show off one of the hospital's Mobile Intensive Care Units. Proceeds from the October 1 country fair will be used to buy a new unit and support other emergency medical services. The Festival, now in its 28th year, has raised almost $5 million for medical facilities, equipment and services.

Saint Clare's Harvest Festival Names Chairs for 2001

 Four area residents known for their community volunteer service will head up the 2001 Harvest Festival, the popular country fair and fund-raiser benefiting Saint Clare's Hospital.

Dave Baldwin and his daughter, Ann Marie, of Boonton, co-chairs last year, return this year as chairs. The new co-chairs are Beau and Laura Kennedy of Denville.

The Festival, the 28th in the series, will be held, rain or shine, Saturday, Oct. 6 at the fairgrounds on Pocono Road, across from the Denville hospital. Gates open at 9 a.m.

 The chair people lead a corps of more than 2,500 volunteers who plan and prepare the event that has become the state's most successful one-day hospital fund-raiser in the state. The Festival attracts 50,000 visitors every year and has thus far raised almost $5 million for hospital projects and services.

 This year's proceeds will support the hospital's emergency services, including the purchase of a new Mobile Intensive Care Unit -- the "emergency room on wheels" which brings advanced life support directly to the scene of a life-threatening illness or injury/

  As always, the Festival  will deliver the attractions that festival fans want: terrific bargains, beautiful crafts, delicious foods and entertainment. "There's something for everyone in the family," Dave Baldwin said. "from clowns and rides for children to delicacies for gourmets."This year, the Festival will put emphasis on things for the young. As always, there will be an old-fashioned carousel, candy apples and a kiddy midway. There's also a kids only shopping area at Kinder Korner and hay rides and Harvey and Clementine, the scarecrow symbols of the Festival.

 There's also be opportunity for youngsters to revel in paint and dye – from face-painting to hair-coloring.

For their parents, the Festival is loaded with bargains, from vintage clothing and one-of-a-kind finds from the attic treasures in the Flea Market to the hand-made holiday and seasonal decorations in the Christmas shop. 

 In every way, said Ann Marie Baldwin, the Festival is a community affair. "Many of our volunteers begin work on the next festival as soon as they've cleaned up from the last. " she said.

  All four Festival leaders have been part of that volunteer force.

. Ann Marie Baldwin is a second generation Harvest Festival volunteer. She first came to the Festival at the age of 7, working with her father, who has been involved with all 27 past Festivals. She's also worked in communications and even played "Harvey," Festival's scarecrow, for many years.

She operates her own business, Baldwin Associates –Domestic Services, which specializes in child and adult day car, cleaning, pet and house sitting. .

  Dave Baldwin has served on the Harvest Festival steering committee since its inception and has been operations chairperson since the first year. Retired from RJ Hoover and Son Truck Center in Flanders, he now has more time for his main interests: hunting, skiing, horses and the Harvest Festival.

 Beau Kennedy is director of operations at the Todman Sound Stage at New York University. Laura Kennedy is a pre-K teacher at the Community Nursery School in Rockaway. They have been married for 12 years and have a daughter, Dallas, who is 10.

 The Kennedys first became involved with the Festival nine years about when Beau was asked to help with parking. Two years later, he bean to direct onsite parking. Laura has worked in various capacities, especially at Second Hand Rose, the Festival's used clothing store.

  A theater family, the Kennedys are very active with local community theater groups. They have performed, directed and built sets, at the Allegro in Parsippany, the Brundage in Randolph, Rockaway Townsquare Players, County College of Morris, the Bickford Theater (Morris Museum) and the Barn Theater in Montville.

 Laura also leads a Girl Scout troop and Beau plays with the Indian Lake men's volleyball team.

 Like their theater activities, the Kennedys expect the Festival will engage all of the family. "We've already enlisted Dally in all the pre-Festival chores," Beau Kennedy said.

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