The Brookfield Citizen

News & Features
November 2005

'IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS...'
A foul-weather fair
By Phil Peirce
Photos by Tim Kane

Barbara Steadman and her husband Wilford of Rice Corner Road, Brookfield display their handmade knit sweaters for sale.

From left, Elizabeth Wheeler and her mom Linda McKeon of East Brookfield peruse items for sale.

From left, Brookfield Police Department officers Robert Orne, Richard Banach and Raymond Wedge stand in the pouring rain on crowd and traffic control duty.

From left, Doris Fenton, Anne Burnham, and Barbara Clancy, all of Brookfield, work the Rapple table. In a true ecumenical effort, all the local churches in town contributed to the sale of about 125 pies.

With apologies to George and Ira Gershwin, “A Soggy Day in Brookfield town, had me low and had me down…” could be the theme song for the 27th Annual Apple Country Fair. This particular soggy day ranks right up there with some of the worst weather we’ve ever had for the fair. Some members of the Executive Board are claiming that it was the worst. They should know, since they’ve seen them all.

It certainly wasn’t for a lack of community spirit that our hopes and aspirations slipped down the drain. We had a fine crew of volunteers on hand to make it all happen. Quite a few new folk turned out to help, and we wish to thank them all for lending a hand.

I would like to thank everyone who pitched in, from the Highway, Fire, and Police departments, the early morning set-up people, the volunteers at the children’s games, at the concession stand, and in the Rapple tent. At the writing of this article, we did not have an accounting of the finances. Nevertheless, don’t forget to turn in your grant request no later than Nov. 15, 2005.

And, as the Red Sox used to say, wait until next year…

From left, pianist Paul Provost, guitarist Derek Cummings, mandolin player/songwriter Dick Chase, and drummer Bob Wellspring play in the pouring rain inside the bandstand.