By Dr. Anita M. Lewis-Sewell MD
Special to The Truth
The 4th Annual Harvest Festival, sponsored by Grace Community Center, by was a “wonderful success,” according to Elaine Page, GCC executive director.
“We were doubly pleased and surprised that well over 300 participants (nearly 350 participants) attended this special seasonal celebration, in spite of the pouring rain that day,” she exclaimed.
The Harvest Festival, which was held on Saturday, Oct. 14, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., is a free community event created as an opportunity for families to come together each fall to share a time filled with food, fun, and fellowship in thankfulness of the essential work of the Center, particularly the urban farm.
“We truly appreciate our community partner agencies, the team of volunteers, and the GCC staff, and our board members whose dedication and hard work made this year’s festival possible,” the director commented.
“This year’s gala event was particularly meaningful as it was the first festival held since the Pandemic ended,” she added.
Participating Agencies included the Toledo Museum of Art, Mercy Health, the Area Office on Aging, Engage Toledo, Here’s My Turning Point Inc., The Movement, Children Services, UMADAOP, Central State University Extension, Assure. Moms Demand Action and Care Source!
Activities included table games, face painting, decorating pumpkins, and a raffle for prizes. The Harvest Festival theme was “Reclaiming Health: Mind, Body and Spirit In addition to the life enhancing information provided by the partnering agencies, participants also enjoyed a delicious meal and received free bags of fresh fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, greens, zucchini and squash to take home.
Most of the planned activities that usually take place outdoors had to be shifted indoors due to the deluge of drenching rain that fell prior to and on the very day of the Harvest Festival. Fortunately, the people still attended and everything worked out.
The Grace Community Center, located at 406 W. Delaware Ave, in Toledo, OH, has provided critical services to people in need for over 50 years. GCC operates a food pantry every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. to address food insecurity. The center’s afterschool program provides social development learning, physical movement and homework assistance for area children. Grace also features a unique urban farm and facilitates various classes for adults and youth in honing their growing skills.
If you would like to make a donation, volunteer or partner with us, or learn more about Grace Community Center, please contact the office or visit our website at gcctoledo.org