Woman's Club volunteers for a good purpose

VERNON — The Vernon Township Woman’s Club has yet again joined forces with employees and staff at Heaven Hill farm to celebrate autumn, a plentiful harvest and Halloween in style. According to Heaven Hill Farm owner Martin Theobald, the Woman’s Club has volunteered their services at the farm’s Great Pumpkin Festival as they have for the past 15 years, joining the roster of Heaven Hill’s 50 employees.
“Today (Sept. 16), we have two volunteer sessions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. with three members,” said Woman’s Club member Maria Dorsey, as she worked the admission booth. “Next week and other weekends closer to Halloween, six volunteers will help out.”
Dorsey’s hubby Barry, donning a cowboy hat, also volunteered as an admission bracelet checker. Woman’s Club volunteers actually make a salary of $8.00 per hour, however, the women waive their paychecks, accumulating a collective total until after Halloween. That’s when Theobald presents the club with a check. According to Theobald and the farm’s front desk, last year, the Vernon Township Woman’s Club received Heaven Hill’s appreciative thanks and a check for $2,500.
“This is their largest fund raiser for the year,” Theobald explained. “We did have some rainy weekends last year so the total was slightly lower than we anticipated.”
The farm is hoping for great weather this season and a large donation. Even though the past weekend was uncommonly warm, folks enjoyed country music, concessions, hay rides, Halloween spooky décor, farm animals, pig races, gem prospecting and much, much more.
The Great Pumpkin Festival continues every weekend through Halloween at Heaven Hill Farm on Route 94 in Vernon.