A treasured tradition of the Norwood community is the annual Fall Festival, according to Norwood School Superintendent Cris Wyse.
The festival took place Friday evening, but students and faculty helped prepare throughout the day. On Friday morning, seventh- and eighth-grade students helped sort donations, and prepare carnival-style games for the evening’s festivities.
“We couldn’t do it without the kids,” eighth-grade teacher Jerrie Brown said. “It’s for the kids, but we couldn’t do it without them, that’s for sure.”
Melissa Meter, a coach at the school, said she and Brown began preparing the gym for the festival Thursday evening.
“It’s several hours worth of work,” Meter said.
Under their direction, student transformed the concession stand into the “Sweet Shop,” where treats like cotton candy or cupcakes could be purchased.
Across from the Sweet Shop was the silent auction table, featuring gift baskets created by each class at Norwood and containing snack items, outdoor activities, and games.
“There’s a wide variety of baskets for people to bid on,” Wyse said.
In the gym, games called “Pumpkin Smash”, “Fishing Pond,” “Pumpkin Toss,” were set up, along with an engraving booth and a face-painting table for attendees to enjoy.
Attendees purchased Frito-chili pie in the cafeteria during the festivities. Wyse said the Cherokee Nation also manned a table, offering free flu shots at the beginning of the evening.
“The funds will be used to provide Christmas for our students,” Wyse said.
Wyse said the funds are divided evenly amongst the students. Last year, students each received a chocolate bar and a $100 gift card.
“We hope to at least match that this year,” Meter said.
Wyse said this event highlights how the community steps up to support the school, through donating baked goods for the cake walk and pie auction, as well as donating canned goods for the food basket drawings.
“Everything is for the students, and the community raises every bit of it,” Wyse said.
The food basket drawing cost $1 to enter, and feature turkey and ham donated by the Norwood Fire Department, according to Wyse.
“Our community has always shown up really well for us,” Wyse said. “It’s a great community time, and a great countywide event.”