Off to see the Scarecrow Fest in the parks along the Fox River

If Dorothy and Toto crashed over the Fox River Dam, they would have awakened last weekend to find more than 120 costumed scarecrows welcoming them to downtown St. Charles. The 39th annual Scarecrow Weekend offered visitors autumn-themed activities, a craft show along the river and a contest to decide the fairest scarecrow of them all.

Darlene Riebe, president of the Kiwanis Club of St. Charles, said it’s been a joy watching the event grow over the decades. She said the fest showcases all the local organizations making a difference in the community.

This year, the Kiwanis Club served food and like many booths across the fest, its area featured free games and prizes for kids.

“Our motto is helping the children of the world, one child, one community at a time,” Riebe said. “I’ve always loved volunteering and giving back to the community. Our 85 club members all love giving back, too. We volunteer at The Salvation Army and the food bank. I love parades the most, especially the smiles on the faces of children.”

Last year, the club raised more than $60,000, donating the money to community nonprofits helping children. Riebe said their special focus is increasing inclusive play areas for children with disabilities. In local parks and schools, the club helped buy wheelchair swings and an inclusive water table, allowing kids in wheelchairs to play with other children.

You can learn about the organization at kiwannis.org.

Around the corner, the Activity Zone greeted visitors with a magician, an inflatable corn maze, a rock-climbing wall and Scarecrow-to-Go.

Scarecrow-to-Go featured take-home kits with all the materials needed to install a scarecrow, including a shirt, pants, strings and instructions. Proceeds went to local Boy Scout Troop 60.

Fifteen-year-old Griffin Bobeczko, a five-year Scouts veteran, said he loved the opportunity to talk with local families while hosting Scarecrow-to-Go.

“I enjoy seeing so many people interested in the organization and those still making sure it continues to grow,” Bobeczko said. “We’ve been involved in volunteering in community events for so long, it’s nice to see us still having an impact.”

Bobeczko said there’s many admirable qualities one gains from helping the community.

“I’ve gained so many leadership skills over the years,” he said. “There’s a lot of interacting with people on a daily basis with the Scouts, which is crucial because kids these days are losing that ability. By volunteering, going to meetings and campouts, the Scouts provide us places to be involved with people and the community.”

You can learn about the troop at troop60.us.

Farther down the road to Lincoln Park, the Family Zone featured activities such as face painting and games such as pumpkin bowling. It also had a stage showcasing local dance teams and musicians.

Susan Stark, events manager of the St. Charles Business Alliance, the fest’s sponsor, said it was tremendous seeing the packed parks and the smiles of kids having fun with the free events such as pumpkin painting.

“This fest means a lot to the community. I’m proud to do my part,” Stark said. “By attracting around 70,000 people, we inspire them to explore the different restaurants and businesses and help them experience the flavor of St. Charles life.”

Stark said she was excited to see Leslie Hunt, owner of the Hunt House Creative Arts Center in downtown St. Charles, perform with her students.

Between musical performances, Hunt said it was an exciting rush seeing her students’ hard work realized on the performance stage before an audience.

“It’s crucial our students have a chance to showcase what they’ve learned,” Hunt said. “We try providing each kid awesome opportunities like monthly showcases and public performances to show everybody what they’ve been working so hard on.”

Hunt said while teaching students ranging in age from 5 to 80, she finds fulfillment watching them find their inner voice as powerful individuals.

“My favorite thing is watching their confidence build,” Hunt said. “It’s about the kindness they express toward themselves and watching their inner critic become less prominent.”

Hunt’s teenage students Felicity Momoh-Bedwell and Vivi Hancock took to the stage for a stunning R&B rendition of “Killing Me Softly With His Song.”

“I love performing and am so excited to show off my work,” said Momoh-Bedwell, a vocalist and violinist. “I would come home every day listening to these songs on repeat and practicing with getting the vocals right for hours on end.”

Hancock said she was excited to provide piano and backup vocals for Momoh-Bedwell’s performance.

“I’m a little nervous, but so much more excited to show what I’ve worked so hard for,” Hancock said. “I practiced the chords on piano every day and practiced the harmonies over and over again.”

You can learn about the arts center at hunthouse.co.