Volunteers needed for Fall Fest

By Kathy Thomson

All parents of students attending Albany schools are requested to volunteer to help with the Parent-Teacher Organization’s Fall Fest next weekend, and local room mothers are working with coordinators Malarie Sutton and Shayna Duke to finalize plans for the fundraising event.

Fall Fest will take place at Nancy Smith Elementary School from 5:00 until around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26. The annual event benefits all grades, even through high school, and all parents and teachers are asked to help.

“The sign-up sheets are due back this Friday, Oct. 18,” said Sutton. “Please sign up before then, so we have all shifts covered.”

Shifts that need to be covered include setup, manning the booths, clean-up, and cafeteria workers.

Cafeteria Help

“Cafeteria shifts are included with the booth shifts sign-up page that each room mother or teacher should have for their homeroom,” said Tisha Wilkins, who along with Michaela Smith is organizing the cafeteria. “Every grade, with exception of fourth, needs to have parents signed up to be cafeteria workers.”

Wilkins has requested that parents, not students, sign up for cafeteria shifts.

“All cafeteria workers need to be adults,” said Wilkins. “We have tried having junior high and high school students sign up in the past, but too many of them did not show up.”

Volunteers, even those who don’t have children in school, can call Smith at 214-883-5087.

“I don’t think the prices have changed in a long, long time,” said Wilkins. “It’s the cheapest place I know for you to feed your family!”

The majority of the food is donated by the school campuses, according to Wilkins, but some items do have to be bought.  

“Each year we ask for people to donate $10 or an amount of their choice towards the purchase of meat used in making the stew and chili and other items we have to buy,” said Wilkins. “If you plan to donate to the Fall Fest through a different booth, don’t feel that it is necessary to do both. However, we would love for you to come and eat with us during the Fall Fest.”

The annual costume contest will provide entertainment for diners. The competition will start with the youngest group at 7:00 p.m. on the cafeteria stage, with winners selected by age and grade.  

Donations for the cafeteria can be mailed to Albany PTO, c/o Tisha Wilkins, 20 Country Cove, Albany TX 76430, or dropped off at the elementary school office.

AHS seniors provide desserts for the cafeteria.

“Seniors are responsible for bringing homemade desserts,” said Wilkins. “Every senior needs to bring two homemade desserts to the cafeteria on Saturday, Oct. 26 by 4:00 p.m.”

Additional Needs

Some of the other classes also need to bring food items for the event.

“Each of the freshman girls needs to bring one dozen caramel apples,” said Sutton. “And freshman boys need to bring one dozen popcorn balls each. These do not have to be homemade.”

Parents of first grade students need to bring two cakes each to the NSES cafeteria on Oct. 26 by 5:00 p.m. for the cake walk.

Volunteers are asked to go to NSES at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the Fall Fest to get the games ready and decorate the booths.

“We need two people signed up for the 9:00 a.m. setup,” Sutton said. “Then we need two people for each hour of Fall Fest, from 5:30-9:30 p.m.”

Booths and games are slated to open at 5:30 p.m. and close around 8:30 p.m. 

Volunteers are also needed to sort the prizes in the NSES gym this Sunday, Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m., according to Sutton.