Successful “Petite” Hospital Fair Day – August 7, 2021
“Superb, superb, superb!” was how one Grace Cottage Hospital Fair Day attendee described the event on the Townshend Common on Saturday, August 7. The weather was sunny and warm, as was the mood among fairgoers who were just so glad to be out and about, greeting longtime friends they hadn’t seen in two years.
The music provided by Tim Robinson, Ralph Sherman & Friends, and Bard Owl (Annie Landenberger and T. Breeze Verdant, accompanied by Earl Cantos on harmonica) was greatly enjoyed throughout the 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. event.
Over $51,000 was raised at Fair Day 2021, including $6,000 on the Townshend Common at the White Elephant, pie/baked goods, t-shirts/hats, and sandwich booths; more than $25,000 in the Online Auction; $1,500 from the White Elephant sale on Fair Day Chairperson Eileen Fahey’s front porch in Townshend during the month of July; and over $18,000 in Fair Day donations, with contributions still arriving in the mail daily.
Thanks to the generosity of many people and businesses who donated art, furniture, antiques, gift certificates, plants, quilts, and much, much more, the Online Auction featured 222 items, an all-time record.
We would like to thank the Grace Cottage Facilities crew, who set up all the tents and hauled White Elephant items to The Common; to Green Mountain Tent Rental, who donated the folding chairs for the day; and equally important were all the “elves” who helped bake 150 pies for the Pie Booth, expertly coordinated by Jodi and Sarah Perkins, as well as the volunteers who helped make sandwich wraps. Everything was delicious! Ann Allbee and Pat Howell did a wonderful job coordinating books and plants, respectively, and Barb Barber did her usual excellent job with Fair Day t-shirts and hats.
All of this year’s Hospital Fair Day proceeds will be used for improvements to the hospital’s infrastructure. It’s hard to believe that the “new” hospital building was constructed 25 years ago, but it’s true, and some infrastructure improvements are needed. For more information, visit www.gracecottage.org or call 802-365-9109.
We hope to return to a full-fledged, traditional Hospital Fair Day on Saturday, August 6, 2022. Save the date!
Hospital Fair Day Traditions
71 years ago, a tradition began that has been vital to Grace Cottage’s patient care ever since. The first Hospital Fair Day was held on Saturday, August 5, 1950, organized by the Grace Cottage Hospital Auxiliary, with a healthy mix of fun, fellowship, and fundraising. Thanks to the love, loyalty, and dedication of so many volunteers and fairgoers over the years, this event continues. Grace Cottage relies on the proceeds from this annual event, which now average $50,000 each year.
Grace Cottage’s Hospital Fair Day 2021 keeps alive several important traditions.
In the photo albums below, you can reminisce about past Hospital Fair Days and see some of the babies born here across the years.
We still have Hospital Fair Day 2021 t-shirts and hats for sale — call 802-365-9109.
Links below also take you to traditional Fair Day recipes and fun Fair-Day-themed coloring pages, a relaxing activity for both you or your child.
Thank you for continuing to support the Annual Grace Cottage Hospital Fair Day!
Grace Cottage Babies
If you were born at Grace Cottage, send us a current picture and tell us your birth year, and we’ll add you to our virtual Birthday Baby Parade with our beloved Stork (don’t tell anyone, but it’s Dr. Timothy Shafer!)
Hospital Fair Day Recipes
Coloring Fun
Get your crayons out — it’s coloring time. Click on any of the special Hospital Fair Day coloring pages below, and print the page to color offline.
Reminiscing
We want to reminisce with you. We’re posting videos and photos of past Fairs. If you have photos or videos from past Hospital Fair Days that you’d like to share, e-mail them to info@gracecottage.org, and we’ll add them to the album.
Hospital Fair Day 2021 Sponsors
/a>
Bald Mountain Campground, Townshend
