Submitted by Kathleen Amoia
(October 11, 2024) — With blue skies, mild temperatures, and a wonderful setting, the All Things Killingworth Town Picnic took place at Deer Lake on October 5, 2024. More than 800 visitors and 200 volunteers and vendors participated. Babies in strollers, children and adults in wagons pulled by Newfoundlands, couples young, old, and in between, friends and the curious, all came to enjoy the day, the place, the food and the music. There was something for everyone.
A colorful brochure clearly laid out the where and when of the events. Activities included a series of classic kid’s relay games, the release of a rehabilitated hawk from A Place Called Hope, and introductions to a group of Newfoundland dogs and the rescue work they do. The canines, trained at the Mystic Seaport Museum, receive water rescue training at Deer Lake.
Children of all ages were able to get their faces painted, decorate cookies, and watch the talented “Mr. Magic,” Rich Rothstein. He put on a show that kept more than forty children and many adults excited and mystified. Two cornhole sets on the hill were in use all day. Evening activities included a Luminary Wish Walk and a Solar Stroll under the auspices of Astronomy Clubs. Throughout it all, there was a variety of food both inside and out, including the Octoberfest beers of the BarrelHouse.
Killingworth Women’s Organization members Janet Colandrea and Jessie D’Amato Ford were the driving force behind this effort. Their original idea was to show off all Killingworth nonprofits, bring attention to the work they do, and the volunteers and fundraisers that support their efforts. Both understood they would have to offer a reason for people to come out to the site, things like food and games and music. It started to sound like a town picnic. And that is what it became.
Killingworth’s corps of volunteer organizations were on display in Vendor Hall and around the grounds. From the Ambulance Association, which operated out of Deer Lake for the day, to the Veteran’s Table manned by Killingworth Veterans Representative Richard P. Mason, and every group in between, volunteers were there highlighting what they do. The continued existence of Deer Lake Camp itself is a tribute to the persistent work of many volunteers and conservation groups over the past few years, individuals and groups that would not take no for an answer.
Long time Killingworth resident and picnic volunteer, Jean Panciera said “I have missed the community picnics. So glad that they’ve come back. Such fun.” Nancy McCormick, President of the Killingworth Women’s Organization, noticed people seeing each other for the first time in years. “I loved the fact that they could grab a couple of chairs, sit down, and catch up.”
A town picnic is an occasion to gather, to reconnect, to bring the village together for the kind of day we all need now and again. For picnic organizers, doing it so well is a monumental task. Congratulations to all who stepped up and made it happen. May this be the beginning of a re-established tradition, the Killingworth Town Picnic at Deer Lake.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Homes for the Brave and Deer Lake Day Camp Scholarships.
Photos provided by All Things Killingworth
