Winona Peach Fest returns ‘full speed ahead’
Mark Wasilewski says all the ingredients - especially critically important volunteers - are ready for a successful return of the Winona Peach Festival after a two-year pandemic hiatus.
It's all good. We've got full speed ahead," said Wasilewski, president of the Winona Men's Club, which will once again be serving its popular peach sundaes at the festival, which runs Aug. 26 to 28 at Winona Park.
We're going to have our booth filled with volunteers. We're anticipating a record crowd this year."
The men's club is one of 17 non-profit groups running this year's festival and Wasilewski said the $7 sundaes will use up to 850 tubs of ice cream and nearly 400 bushels of peaches.
The festival is the club's sole fundraiser and proceeds will go to a variety of good causes, he said, including local food banks, scout groups, student bursaries and robotic teams at Orchard Park and Cardinal Newman high schools.
We're praying for good weather and empty freezers," Wasilewski said, noting the sundae's price had to be raised by 20 per cent to cover a portion of cost increases.
Our expenses went up 50 per cent, but we have to remember that we're a charity group and not a business, and if we make a little bit to donate a little bit, that's good."
The festival's return is also a relief for the Lions Club of Stoney Creek, although co-ordinator Stan Eastman is still looking for volunteers to help with sales of hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and, on the weekend mornings, breakfasts.
He said about 28 volunteers are needed at any one time at the club's three booths, including to serve and sell an expected 1,800 hamburgers and convert 105 50-pound bags of potatoes into fries and hash browns.
Eastman said the two-year hiatus has been a nightmare," but the club's reserve fund allowed it to continue funding beneficiaries like student scholarships, local food banks and youth sports.
That got us through," he said. It also provides money to set up (the festival) because it's not a cheap deal."
Over at Fifty United Church, volunteer Kathie Cushnie said the festival will be a welcome financial boost after two years of holding alternate events in the church's parking lot to sell peach pies, jams and jellies as well as other treats.
The organizations that we support, we've had to cut back by half, in our donations," she said of traditional charitable causes such as local women's shelters, Wesley Urban Ministries and Mission Services, along with new ones including Liberty For Youth.
We're looking forward to being able to get back on track."
Cushnie said close to 100" volunteers will make and sell 1,760 pies baked at the Fiesta Mall Fortinos, which for the 25th year has donated the use of ovens and freezers.
Another 1,600 pies will be provided by a St. Catharines baker because demand always exceeds supply, she added.
This year, we're fortunate that we have a lot of teenagers who are looking for their (high school) volunteer hours," Cushnie said. It's good to see them interested in doing this."
Festival president Linda Shuker said Hamilton's public health department isn't requiring special COVID-19 precautions, but the festival will provide hand sanitization stations.
We just ask people to be respectful and I think various organizations will still have people wearing masks," she said.
Shuker said it's been a challenge to rent vans or trucks for organizers because they are scarce, but the festival is full steam ahead," with the HSR again providing a free shuttle service to and from Eastgate Square.
Like Wasilewski, she said she's expecting a bumper crowd" for the festival's mix of foods, midway rides, arts and crafts vendors, kids' games and live entertainment.
I think people are just wanting to get out and do something," she said.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY: We wanted to find out how festival preparations are going after a two-year pandemic pause.